Leaving dogs in dog day care all the time

taram_2

I have two dogs, one is happy to be left alone, the other has separation anxiety. Until the start of September, I used to bring them to a doggie day care every work day from 8-5, but then we moved 40 miles away for a new job. So now I have been dropping them off on a Monday morning, and collecting them on a Thursday evening. The guy who runs the place is happy for me to do this, and the dogs are treated like family.

Basically I'm not sure what to do. I love these dogs, and am happy to pay out for their care, I just feel like I am letting them down not seeing them during the week. Should I try therapy for the dog with anxiety? Should I try collect them more often during the week?

teddysmum

If the dogs are happy and you don't mind paying for the service , then I don't see a problem.

krlyr

I think it's a very personal choice. I personally wouldn't do it, but I'm lucky that I live very near to work, work for a very dog-friendly company (could take them with me if it weren't for their issues - but they're very good at understanding if someone needs to go to the vet or do flexi time, as they're actually in the dog/pet industry), and have family who happily help with dogsitting etc.

I don't think it would harm to treat the separation anxiety, it's ideal to do it now whilst you have the daycare in place because you can work on it very slowly, in the time the dogs are with you, rather than because you have to leave them. You never know when something may change and the daycare may not be an option, having a dog that's even part-way OK with being left will be a great help it what may already be a stressful situation.

I'd maybe keep going as you are for a while, to keep the dogs settled, but work on the separation anxiety. If you reach a stage where you can leave the dog for a while, you could look into a dogwalking service perhaps, as an alternative, which will save you some travel (and probably some money).