We all know that a child’s first day at school is one filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation, both for the child and their parents, so is it the case that there is any correlation between this and your dog attending dog daycare for the first time? For our money, there is. You are as likely to see a dog cry when their owner leaves them behind as you are a child when their parent does. And you are entrusting the welfare of a beloved family member to someone else.
Now, we are not suggesting that the welfare of a dog is in the same league as a child’s education. However, we are sure that in neither situation does anyone want the child/parent or the dog/dog owner to be any more stressed or worried than they need to be. For this reason, plenty of advice is available for making a child’s first day at school. Or a dog’s first time at a dog daycare to go as smoothly as possible.
Given the title of this post, it is a dog/dog daycare scenario that we are going to focus on, and in doing so, we have provided you with several ways you can make your dog’s first day at a dog daycare as incident-free and enjoyable for both of you.
Make Sure You Have All Their Medical Records And Inoculations Up To Date
The last thing you want is to arrive at the dog daycare centre and have some administrative problems to cause an issue. The most common is the dog daycare centre discovering your dog has not had flea treatment or its vaccinations are outdated. Know their policies and ensure your dog is up to date so that its first day does see them having to return home.
Follow Your Usual Routine Before Attending Dog Day Care
The more your dog believes that today is just like any other day, the less stressed it will be when you arrive at the dog daycare centre. So, as best, you can follow your usual morning routine beforehand, such as their walk, toilet time, and food if you feed them in the morning.
Take Their Favourite Toy With You
Just as children have their favourite teddy or a comfort blanket, your dog may have one or more of its favourite toys. If so, take them with you to the dog daycare centre so it has something familiar. They might not need them once they get used to attending, but for the first few visits, it will give them something to play with as a form of comfort should they feel nervous about their new surroundings.
Ensure You Know What The Initial Routine Will Be When You Arrive
Doubtless, you will have asked the staff lots of questions before committing your dog to attend. However, there is one question that will make your dog’s first day all the easier for you both: the routine will be on arrival on that first day. Knowing this means you will be prepared and less stressed.
Do Not Make A Fuss Of Them When You Leave
Although it might pain you to do so, leaving without giving your dog a cuddle and a loving goodbye will make it a lot easier on them than you making a big fuss of them. Better still, if you can sneak away without them realising, they will barely notice you have gone as they meet their new doggy friends.