Is Doggy Daycare Right for Your Pup? What to Consider Before Enrolling

daycare

Is Doggy Daycare Right for Your Pup? What to Consider Before Enrolling

For many pet parents, leaving their dog home alone all day isn’t ideal. Whether you have a high-energy pup who craves social interaction or a dog who struggles with separation anxiety, doggy daycare can be a great solution. But how do you know if it’s the right choice for your furry friend?

Dog daycare offers more than just supervision—it provides structured play, mental stimulation, and socialization, all of which contribute to a well-balanced, happy pup. Let’s explore the key factors to consider when choosing a daycare and how to determine if your dog will thrive in this environment.

Why Consider Doggy Daycare?

Dogs are social animals, and prolonged isolation can lead to boredom, stress, or even destructive behavior. Daycare can help address common concerns, including:

  • Socialization: Regular interaction with other dogs helps improve communication skills and reduces fear-based aggression.
  • Exercise & Mental Stimulation: A tired dog is a happy dog! Structured play and activities help burn excess energy in a safe setting.
  • Routine & Structure: Dogs thrive on routine, and daycare provides a consistent schedule of play, rest, and enrichment.
  • Relief from Separation Anxiety: Some dogs struggle when left alone for extended periods. A daycare setting offers companionship and comfort.

However, daycare isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Not all dogs enjoy group settings, and it’s important to choose a facility that prioritizes your dog’s comfort and well-being.

What to Look for in a Doggy Daycare

If you’re considering daycare for your dog, here are some key factors to evaluate:

1. Safety & Cleanliness

A well-maintained facility should have:

  • Clean play areas (both indoor and outdoor) with surfaces designed for dog safety.
  • Proper sanitation practices to prevent the spread of illnesses.
  • Clear health requirements, including vaccinations and flea prevention.

2. Playgroup Structure & Supervision

Every dog has a unique play style, and a good daycare should:

  • Separate dogs by size, temperament, or energy level.
  • Maintain a low dog-to-staff ratio for close supervision.
  • Ensure staff is trained in dog behavior and first aid.

3. Balanced Activity & Rest Time

Dogs need a mix of play and downtime. Look for a facility that offers:

  • Comfortable rest areas with cozy spots for napping.
  • A structured schedule that prevents overstimulation.
  • Enrichment activities to engage your dog’s mind, like puzzles or agility exercises.

4. Trial Evaluations & Compatibility Checks

A reputable daycare will assess each dog before full enrollment. This might include:

  • A temperament test to ensure a good fit with other dogs.
  • A gradual introduction process to ease anxiety.
  • Open communication with pet parents about their dog’s behavior.

Is Your Dog a Good Fit for Daycare?

Before enrolling, consider your dog’s personality and needs:
✅ Does your dog enjoy being around other dogs?
✅ Are they comfortable in new environments?
✅ Do they have the energy to benefit from a full or half-day of activity?
✅ Are they free from major behavioral issues like excessive fear or aggression?

If you’re unsure, many facilities offer trial sessions to assess how your dog responds to daycare.

What Makes The Green K9 a Great Choice for Daycare in Frederick?

If you’re looking for a dog daycare in Frederick, The Green K9 offers an environment designed for safety, comfort, and fun. Our facility features:

✔️ Sanitized, dog-friendly outdoor turf to keep paws clean.
✔️ A cozy indoor playroom with a viewing window for pet parents.
✔️ Comfy dog couches and blankets for relaxation.
✔️ A state-of-the-art doggy treadmill for pups with extra energy.

We prioritize safety with required vaccinations, health screenings, and a structured evaluation process to ensure a positive experience for every dog.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re considering doggy daycare, we’d love to help you determine if it’s the right fit for your pup. Schedule a trial session at The Green K9 to see how your dog enjoys our enriching, structured daycare environment!

Unlocking the Energy: Daily Dog Daycare for Puppies and High-Energy Dogs

At Pet and Home Care, we understand that your dog’s training journey is an important part of their well-being. That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce our new and exciting collaboration with Paw by Paw Training! 🐾

Introducing Board and Train with Paw by Paw: Elevate Your Dog’s Learning Adventure!

Pet and Home Care is now offering an exclusive Board and Train program, allowing your furry friend to stay with us while benefiting from the exceptional training expertise of Paw by Paw. This unique opportunity provides a comprehensive training experience for your dog, coupled with the comfort and care of our trusted boarding services.

How It Works:

  • Book with Pet and Home Care: Select the Board and Train option when booking your pet’s stay with us. Indicate your interest in the Paw by Paw training program.
  • Round Trip Transportation: We’ve made it convenient for you! Your dog will enjoy round trip transportation from our facility to Paw by Paw’s training facility in North Bethesda.
  • Tailored Training Experience: Paw by Paw’s experienced trainers will work with your dog on obedience, behavior, and more. Each training session is designed to meet your dog’s individual needs.
  • Boarding with Comfort and Care: While not in training, your dog will stay in our comfortable and safe boarding facility, receiving the love and attention they deserve from our dedicated team.

Benefits of Board and Train with Pet and Home Care:

  • Comprehensive Training: Professional training sessions with Paw by Paw experts.
  • Convenience: Seamless round trip transportation for your dog.
  • Trusted Boarding Services: Your dog will stay in a secure and comfortable environment.
  • Personalized Care: Individualized attention and care for each pet.

How to Get Started:

  1. Sign Up for Paw by Paw Training: Visit Paw by Paw’s website and sign up for their exceptional training programs.
  2. Book with Pet and Home Care: Visit our website and choose the Board and Train option when booking your pet’s stay.

Elevate Your Dog’s Training Journey Today!

Give your dog the gift of enhanced training and a comfortable stay with Pet and Home Care. We’re excited to be part of your dog’s learning adventure!

If you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to reach out to us at 301-PET-CARE.

Here’s to happy tails and a well-trained, well-loved furry companion!

Convenience at Your Fingertips: Drop-In Pet Care Visits Through Our User-Friendly App

In a world where convenience is key, managing your pet’s care has never been easier. Say goodbye to stress and uncertainty with our user-friendly app, Time To Pet, designed to streamline the pet care process. Whether you’re a seasoned user or new to our services, this guide will walk you through the simple steps of creating an account, booking drop-in pet care visits, and updating crucial information to keep your furry friends happy and healthy.

Creating an Account:

Getting started is a breeze. Simply create an account or log in to your existing one through our Time to Pet app. The straightforward account creation process sets the stage for a seamless pet care experience.

Booking Care with Ease:

Our app is designed with your convenience in mind, making the booking process simple and stress-free.

Step 1: Log In

Open the Time to Pet app, log in using your credentials, or quickly create an account by clicking “activate account” if you’re new to our services.

Step 2: Request Services

Navigate to the “scheduling” menu under our announcement bar, then click “request service.”

Step 3: Schedule

Choose the dates and times you require pet care.

Step 4: Choose Your Service

Select the pets needing care, the type of service required, and the preferred service time. Add any additional details in the provided section.

Step 5: Confirm and Book

Review the entered information, make adjustments if necessary, and submit to request your pet care service. Await our approval; once confirmed, you’ll receive an email confirmation and an invoice the day before your scheduled service. Ensure your payment method is added for timely payment.

Step 6: Sit Back and Relax

Enjoy peace of mind with our digital Pawgress reports. Receive photos, videos, and updates after each service, guaranteeing that your pet is in good hands.

Updating Information and Instructions:

Keeping your pet’s information current is vital for their well-being. Here’s how you can effortlessly update instructions and details through our app.

Step 1: Log In

Access the Time to Pet app and log in with your credentials.

Step 2: Access Your Profile

Navigate to your profile section with the “my info” button to manage personal and pet-related information, including contact details and home entry methods.

Step 3: Access Your Pet Profile

Click the “pets” button to access and edit your pet’s medical history, feeding schedules, and special care instructions. Be sure to add a current photo of each pet.

Step 4: Save Changes

After making updates, save changes to ensure your pet’s caregiver has the most accurate information.

With our user-friendly app, pet care is no longer a hassle. From booking drop-in visits to updating crucial information, everything you need is conveniently located at your fingertips. Experience the ease and peace of mind that comes with our digital pet care platform – because your pet’s well-being is our top priority.

Pet and Home Care Shares New Rates and Policies for 2023

This past year proved to be monumental for Pet and Home Care. We expanded our pet care team and office staff, made new investments in our facilities, and improved our technology to deliver an even better customer experience for both pets and their parents alike.

The biggest change came when we launched a new app and online customer center back in March. Both our clients and team members seamlessly adapted to the new tech, and it has made a better all-around user experience for booking, scheduling, communications, and payments. If you haven’t done it yet, we strongly encourage you to download the Apple or Android app today!

As much as things evolved this year, we’re constantly updating our business to adapt to a shifting pet care industry. By keeping up with new trends and practices, we’re better positioned to accommodate both our clients and our team members alike.

In this spirit, here are a few more changes and updates that are coming for Pet and Home Care in 2023.

 

RATE INCREASES ON JANUARY 3

OK, we get it: we can hear you screaming “NOOOOOO!” through your screen. No one likes paying more, but we had to make this difficult decision for two major reasons:

  1. Our team is bigger than ever.
  2. They’re staying with the company longer.

Both of these trends are welcome developments for our clients who rely on our staff’s invaluable experience and their familiarity with your pets. They also mean well-deserved raises and promotions and more benefits to administer. In the end, both our clients and our company are better served by long-tenured, well-compensated, and happy team members!

We did everything we could to minimize rate increases for 2023 — which will officially go into effect on January 3 after the New Year’s holiday — and we took lengths to make sure we’re still competitive with other local pet care companies, without having to implement additional increases anytime soon.

Check out the menu laying out the new prices for our most popular services:

We recognize that many of our clients have already booked services in 2023. If an invoice has already been generated for these services, we will honor those existing rates. We will also honor existing rates for any 2023 bookings made before the end of this year. So if you know you need care in January and beyond, we encourage you to book your services before the New Year and save!

If you are a client with daily or weekly recurring visits we will honor our existing rates through the middle of February 2023. The exact date will vary by each recurring client’s invoicing schedule.

 

PET AND HOME CARE POLICY CHANGES

As Pet and Home Care continues to grow, we’re constantly evaluating our existing policies. Some policies that once made sense a few years ago — or even this time last year – don’t make sense now. After our most recent review, here our some new policies that Pet and Home Care is implementing for 2023:

Free Meet-and-Greets

We know how important it is for our clients to feel good about the people they allow into their homes to provide care for their pets. Pet and Home Care is finally in a place where we no longer need to charge for meet-and-greets, so all new clients will be able to meet with their primary sitters at no additional cost before their services start!

Simplifying and Reducing ‘Extra Pet’ Fees for In-Home Visits

A lot of clients have given us feedback that our pricing structure for extra pets was too confusing, so we made changes and updated the policy to clear things up:

  • All our base prices will now reflect service for the FIRST PET ONLY, no matter what type of pet it is.
  • If additional dogs or cats require servicing in the same visit we will charge an extra $4 per pet, starting on January 3. This will be a decrease from our existing extra pet fee of $5 (YAY!).
  • Care for additional exotic pets (including but not limited to small caged mammals, birds, fish, lizards, snakes, farm animals, etc.) will be charged at custom rates established with our office managers. Please contact us at [email protected] to discuss these custom rates.

Updated Late-Booking Policy

We’re always happy to accommodate last-minute bookings made within 24 hours of needed service, but we are increasing our late-booking fee to $15 for standard in-home visits and daycare, and $25 for last-minute overnights and boarding requests. Of course, the best way to avoid these fees is to book your care well in advance (or at least more than 24 hours before your requested service).

New Cancellation Policy

Up until now, we’ve maintained a lenient cancellation policy where clients could cancel services up to 12 hours ahead of time with no penalty. But in the last year we found that the existing policy would regularly throw our schedule into turmoil, affecting services for other clients. So starting in 2023, we are extending our cancellation policy to a minimum of 24 hours before the start of any scheduled services to avoid any penalties.

Of course, we know that some last-minute cancellations are the result of forces out of a client’s control and we will consider account credits in lieu of penalties on a case-by-case basis.

One More Holiday on Black Friday

We updated our holiday calendar earlier this year to include all major holidays and their federally observed dates. In 2023, we’re adding the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) to the mix. There are no changes to the additional 30% fee on all designated holidays.

 

OTHER CHANGES

Here’s a sneak peak at all the other fun stuff we have up our sleeve for the coming year…

Yummy Treats at the Resort!

Don’t have time to pack a doggie snack pack? Or maybe you think your daycare or boarding pup deserves an extra treat for being a good boy or girl? Well, we have your tail covered!

The Pet and Home Care Dog Resort is thrilled to introduce a new menu of healthy treats available as delicious add-ons to your pup’s daycare or boarding stay! We call it our Doggone Good Barkery Treats & Eats!

Starting in January 2023, we’re rolling out our menu of delicious treats from puppy ice cream, to veggie bowls and meal toppings, to other seasonal offerings and calming CBD add-ons. We’re really excited about this delicious new addition to the resort, so be on the lookout for more information coming soon!

Brand New Website!

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to roll out a new PetAndHomeCare.com that’s cleaner and easier to navigate. Our goal is to make it simpler to learn about our services, rates, and the team members that care for your pets. Target date to launch the new site is mid-January 2023.

 

If you’d like to learn more about the most updated pricing and policies at Pet and Home Care, please reach out to us through our app or at [email protected].

Pet and Home Care Named a Nextdoor 2022 Neighborhood Favorite Local Business in Potomac

Pet and Home Care has been named to the winning list of Nextdoor’s 6th annual Neighborhood Favorites, an awards program recognizing local businesses committed to helping their neighborhoods thrive. Pet and Home Care was specifically recognized for its services in Potomac, MD. Winners of the 2022 Neighborhood Favorites were determined based on the number of neighbor recommendations a local business receives on Nextdoor across various categories.

“The biggest honor any small business can earn is recognition as a trusted and reliable presence in its community,” said Pet and Home Care Founder and CEO Tiffany Lewis. “Our team gained this reputation by following the famed Golden Rule: we care for our clients and their pets the way we would want our pets to be cared for.”

With more than 55 million business recommendations from neighbors, Nextdoor connects neighbors with each other and everything nearby.

“On Nextdoor, small businesses are a trusted and core member of the community. These local businesses go above and beyond to make their neighborhoods a kind, welcoming place. It is a true honor, and good for business, to be voted a Neighborhood Favorite by your most loyal customers — neighbors.” said Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar.

The complete list of winning businesses in each city is available at nextdoor.com/favorites.

‘Time To Pet’ Shines Client Spotlight on Pet and Home Care

Time To Pet, the preferred technology partner of Pet and Home Care, today featured PHC in its Client Spotlight series. Lauding Pet and Home Care as “one of the most highly-rated pet care companies in the country,” Time To Pet’s feature included a five-question Q+A with PHC Founder and CEO Tiffany Lewis. Here’s a sneak peek:

What is the most fulfilling part of owning a pet sitting/dog walking business?

There’s a lot I love about this job, but the most fulfilling part is being a helpful presence in the community. For most of our customers, their pets are like their children and they need to have 100% trust in whomever takes care of them. It feels great that we’ve built a reputation where we’ve earned that trust. We don’t even need to invest much into marketing because word of mouth in our service area is so strong, and that’s the biggest compliment that any business can receive.

Check out the full Client Spotlight on Pet and Home Care.

Pet and Home Care Founder Tiffany Lewis Featured on Subkit

Starting a business is hard. Keeping that business strong and successful for more than two decades is even harder. The kind folks at Subkit interviewed Pet and Home Care Founder and CEO Tiffany Lewis to learn how Pet and Home Care began and how she stays motivated after all these years. Here’s a sneak peek:

What’s your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment thus far would have to be keeping this business alive and growing for almost 25 years. That’s no small feat, especially with how difficult it was for small businesses (including ours) to navigate the pandemic over the last couple of years. I’m still in shock that my little side hustle in high school has led me down a path to work for myself and live a nice life.

Read the full interview on Subkit’s Go Solo blog

Why Do Cats Need Daily Care?

It’s not uncommon for our cat clients to request care every other day or even every third day when they’re traveling on long vacations. After all, cats are more self-sufficient than other pets and you don’t need someone to check on them every day, right?

Continue reading

Pet and Home Care Rolls Out Tech Upgrade for a Simplified Customer Experience

Pet and Home Care, Maryland’s biggest and longest running pet care provider, has officially rolled out a new client software platform that promises to simplify and expand on its award-winning customer service.

The platform, developed by PHC’s partners at Time To Pet, is recognized as the leading customer service technology in the pet care industry. It streamlines the booking, servicing, and account management process so both customers and PHC team members can spend more time caring for the pets they love!

Here are just a few of the software’s helpful features:

  • A dedicated app for both Apple and Android devices
  • Simplified process to book new services
  • Intuitive interface to manage accounts
  • Mobile push notifications so you never miss an update on your services
  • New communication options, including in-app chat and texting

New clients can sign up for an account and start booking service HERE.

Existing Pet and Home Care clients can easily access their accounts and manage services through the online portal. But for the best experience, all customers are encouraged to download and use the Time To Pet app on their mobile devices:

 

Download the Time To Pet App for ANDROID Devices

Download the Time To Pet App for APPLE Devices

 

Both the app and portal are designed for easy and intuitive use. But users with specific questions can turn to either Time to Pet’s mobile app help page or its online portal help page. New users may also prefer to watch Time To Pet’s video tutorial.

Access Pet and Home Care’s easy-to-use platform and book your upcoming pet care now!

Pet and Home Care’s Simple Dog Biscuit Recipe

Today is National Dog Biscuit Day! Not that you need another excuse to spoil your favorite fur babies, but today’s an especially great day to indulge them with their favorite treats!

We suggest doing something extra nice by cooking up fresh dog biscuits from scratch. Try this yummy recipe and let your pups know you truly care, from your oven to their bellies! And if your dog goes ga-ga over these treats, feel free to make them a regular staple in your kitchen any time of the year!

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 – 3 cups whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat pumpkin puree, peanut butter and eggs on medium-high until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups flour at low speed, beating just until incorporated. Add an additional 1/4 cup flour at a time just until the dough is no longer sticky.
  3. Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
  4. Place into the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.*
  5. Let cool completely.
  6. Fill the bellies of your favorite furry friends!