So, I hear a lot of humans talking about Doggie Daycare and how to find a good place for their dog in the Bellevue, Seattle and surrounding areas. I often wonder why they don’t just ask me, I mean who better to tell you about doggie daycare than a dog? So I’ve come up with a list of things that I like about my doggie daycare and I’m sure your pooch would agree!
Cleanliness is next to dogliness: I know my humans like things to be clean in our house and I’m no different. My humans also hate it when they step in dog poop and you know what? So do I. That’s one of the things I love about my daycare center; I never step in doggie mess because they have an outdoor place where we can “go” and do our business and they clean it up right away. I also like the way my daycare always smells so good! I mean, think about it, I have 10,000x better smell than you do, so trust me, I’m not a fan of smelling doggy mess. There’s nothing worse than a daycare place that smells bad! If it smells icky, that means it’s not clean and if it’s not clean, it could have bacteria that will make me sick and then it could make my friends sick! A doggie day care doesn’t have to be so spotless that you can eat off the floor, (well, I can eat off the floor cause I do all the time, but you don’t) but it should be clean of all yucky stuff. The best way to know that is by how it smells. Luckily my daycare will let you walk right in and take a sniff for yourself anytime.
Good friends to keep me happy & safe: I have lots of great canine friends at my daycare, and for every 10-15 of us, there is one human buddy who watches over us very carefully. Every human that hangs out with us there has worked with dogs like me for a long time, and I swear it’s like they’re mind readers! They always seem to know what I’m thinking somehow, like when I need a break from my friends so I can take a nap. They keep a close eye on whether anyone is getting mad or upset and they always seem to know how to make us behave in our group. They’re never harsh or mean, they just encourage us to be good pups. Of course, I don’t need much guidance in that regard, because I am essentially perfect. But that pretty much goes without saying. Also, If I get sick or hurt during the day, there is always someone there who knows how to take care of me. I guess that makes me feel pretty good, too. They all care about us like their own dogs.
Room to Roam: Another thing I really like about my daycare is there’s lots of room for us to run around and play, not just outside, but inside too! Inside, we have a HUGE room to play in which is really nice on rainy days. I’m not sure how big the room is, so I asked around and found out it’s almost 2,000 square feet! Plenty of room for us all to romp around. I also like that we have a BIG place outside to run and play on nice days. I know CK isn’t all that far out of the way, but with how we’re tucked back in a quiet neighborhood, with lots of woods, it feels like we’re out in the country or something. Pretty much doggie heaven, if I do say so myself.
A separate place for the “little guy”: My doggie daycare loves to make all dogs feel safe. Depending on what dog friends come in each day, they can make separate play areas depending on what groups work best. We can be split into packs of energetic dogs, big dogs, little dogs, old dogs… even puppies! That way, we can play however we want to play without worrying about someone not having as much fun.
Other things I like: Since I’m so comfortable at my daycare, I love when I get to come stay because my parents are out of town. It’s kind of like going to camp! My people like the fact that if I get really dirty, they’ll give me a bath and grooming too. (Don’t tell anybody, but I actually really like getting groomed sometimes!)
I also love meeting all the different dogs and puppies from all over the place. I have friends that live in Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle, Duvall and even Snohomish. We meet at Cascade Kennels Doggie Daycare in Woodinville and have a blast!
So there you have it! Tips on great doggie daycare from me, your trusty advisor on all things canine. The best thing to remember, if you feel good about your doggie daycare, chances are, your dog will too!
Until next time,
Finley
Executive Canine Quality Control Officer
