Pet Parent Thought Doggy Daycare Was Safe—Then Her Golden Retriever Was Rushed to the ER
Like most pet owners, you may have considered taking your canine friend to a doggy daycare for one reason or another. Maybe you want them to socialize with other dogs, play & run around to their satisfaction, or you simply don’t want them to stay at home all alone while you’re at work. Whatever the reason, there’s one hidden danger about doggy daycares worth keeping in mind: dog attacks.
It’s a danger one Golden Retriever owner knows too well after her pup named Bob was viciously attacked in a daycare. As revealed on her TikTok account @iambobthedog, Bob’s owner received news of the attack just a few hours after leaving her pup at the facility.
“POV: Taking our dog to doggy daycare trying to convince myself that nothing could go wrong. A few hours later we received a phone call that was every dog parent’s worst nightmare. He was being rushed to the emergency vet after a brutal dog attack….be careful taking your dog to doggy daycare,” reads part of the caption layered over the clip.
Thankfully, Bob survived and has since fully recovered. However, the attack left him traumatized.
“The thing that is so hard about this is like the emotional trauma. He is just not the same dog anymore…He was this really confident, sassy little dog…..now he’s spooked by some of the smallest things,” Bob’s owner explained in a separate video.
@iambobthedog This is more common than you might think… sometimes the best thing you can do for your dog is keep them home #dogsoftiktok #doggydaycare #goldenretriever ♬ The Night We Met – Lord Huron
Doggy Daycare 101: Here’s What You Should Know
It’s every dog owner’s wish that their furry friend returns home safe and happy after spending time at a doggy daycare centre. While these facilities come in handy for dog owners who may need extra support during those busy days, they also have their downsides, the most common being the safety of the dogs.
Doggy daycares vary greatly in how they are run. For this reason, it’s essential to settle for a quality daycare facility where staff are well-trained and experienced in matters concerning dog behavior, as this means they can quickly and appropriately intervene in case of a safety risk amongst the dogs.
“Doggy daycares get a thumbs up from me and that’s because most of the reputable daycares do a personality testing on each of the dogs, so they actually combine a group or put a group of dogs together that they have personality tested. I think that if you’re working with a reputable daycare and they take the time to do those evaluations beforehand, you can feel pretty comfortable that those are gonna be appropriate places,” explains Dr Emily King of All-Star Veterinary Clinic. “There’s great socialization and desensitization that can occur in those facilities. They just have to run in a proper manner such that they don’t do more harm than good.”
In other words, a good doggy daycare prioritizes temperament testing for all dogs brought to their facility. In doing so, they’re able to create a safe, enjoyable environment for each dog.
Dog Attacks in Doggy Daycares
Doggy Day Care is Not for Everyone
A key thing you should keep in mind before sending your furry friend to daycare is that not all dogs are cut out to thrive in these facilities. This is where how well you know your dog comes in.
There are dogs with excellent social skills who enjoy being around other dogs and aren’t negatively affected by new spaces, sights, and sounds. On the other hand, some dogs don’t do well in the presence of new people or other dogs and thus get anxious in overstimulating environments like a daycare and dog park. It’s not uncommon for dogs under the latter category to exhibit aggressive behavior toward other dogs out of anxiety.
“We dropped off our dog for three hours and as soon as he got in the play area he bit another dog that was sniffing his butt….We’ve had our dog for two and a half years and while he plays rough, he’s never bitten another dog before! They reviewed the tapes at the daycare and did confirm all the other dog was doing was sniffing our dog,” wrote user @weatherthestorms in a Reddit discussion on daycare dog attacks.
If daycare isn’t the right fit for your furry friend, the good news is you can consider alternatives such as:
1. Hiring a dog walker or pet sitter to care for your dog while you’re away. Services like Rover.com offer pet sitting in the sitters house or they can come to your house. You can ask how many dogs the sitter cares for and find one that can just take care of your dog.
2. You can also request one of your family members to watch over your dog if doggy daycare isn’t an option.
Choosing the Right Doggy Day Care
Before enrolling your dog at a daycare, it’s important to do your research so you can find a facility that’s a perfect fit for your dog. Ensure you go through the online reviews to see what other dog owners say about the daycare you’re interested in.
But besides doing online research, it’s a good idea to visit the daycare facility in person so you can gauge how things run.
Some of the crucial questions you can ask during this visit according to the American Kennel Club, include:
- Do you carry out temperament testing on each dog?
- What kind of training or certification does your staff have?
- How do you address unwanted dog behavior?
- What’s your protocol in case of an emergency such as a dog fight or sickness?
- Do you ensure constant staff presence?
- What is the staff-to-dog ratio?
Doggy Daycares FAQs
Is doggy daycare safe?
Yes, doggy daycare is safe, provided the facility adheres to safety standards such as performing temperament testing on every dog. However, not every dog is suited for daycare.
Doggy daycare cost? / Doggy daycare prices
Full-Day Rates: Typically range from $25 to $45 per day. In urban areas with higher living costs, such as New York City or San Francisco, prices can exceed $50 per day.
Half-Day Rates: For stays up to 5 hours, rates generally range from $15 to $30. Some facilities offer half-day options at reduced prices.
Monthly Packages: For regular attendees, monthly rates can range from $450 to $1,000, depending on the frequency of visits and services included.
My dog attacked another dog will it be put down?
Fortunately, euthanasia is less likely to be considered when a dog attacks another at a doggy daycare. In most cases, the pup involved in the dog attack is excused from the facility for the sake of the safety of the other dogs.
Another dog attacked my dog at doggy daycare
Oftentimes, dogs that attack others at a daycare facility are poorly socialized dogs who may find the daycare environment overstimulating. Not all dogs do well in daycares.
My dog attacked another dog unprovoked at doggy daycare
Oftentimes, dogs that attack others at a daycare facility are poorly socialized dogs who may find the daycare environment overstimulating. Not all dogs do well in daycares.
My dog attacked another dog unprovoked at doggy daycare
It could be that your dog displayed aggression toward other dogs out of anxiety due to the overstimulating daycare environment.
Dog is anxious after being attacked – Reddit
More often than not, a dog attack leaves the affected pup traumatized. They may exhibit anxiety and other negative behaviors long after the attack.
“My senior dog was attacked three weeks ago. He has always been a well-behaved dog, never destroying anything or peeing/pooping inside the house. But after the attack, something changed. He destroyed his toothbrush and his favorite toy, started peeing inside the house, and began digging in the trash for leftovers. He doesn’t play with me as usual,” shared Reddit user @bombusdahlbomii in a post on unusual dog behaviors after an attack.
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