Wednesday, 17 February 2016

Woodland View Kennels - Doggie Daycare 

What is 'Doggie Daycare'?

Doggie daycare is a relatively new phenomenon, it is kind of like, a dog 'crèche'. Where an owner can drop their dog off for the day whilst they are busy, to be cared for and played with. It is thought of as more of an American invention, but rapidly becoming popular in the UK, and it's not hard to see why. With people working longer hours, it often becomes difficult to give our dogs the attention and stimulation they need. This can lead to them becoming excitable, destructive, or even depressed. Doggie daycare can provide that much needed company, exercise and stimulation. It is also wonderful when the weather is terrible and their walks aren't so long, or perhaps during times of illness or turmoil. It can be difficult however, to find a daycare that suits you and your dog.

What is special about Woodland View Kennels Daycare? 

Woodland View Kennels Doggie Daycare is a daycare that is mainly held indoors (with an outside run for toileting). It is bright and airy and heated so that dogs won't become cold (and of course, they won't come home caked in mud!). There are sofas to lounge on and toys to play with, and it is supervised at all times by competent, experienced staff. 

We have a capacity of just 15 dogs, which is relatively small as daycares go, so we find more nervous, elderly or small/toy dogs do well here, as they feel safe and not overwhelmed as can so easily happen in the chaotic atmosphere of larger doggie daycares. 

Will my dog be safe at Doggie Daycare? 

We pride ourselves on being safe here at Woodland View. The Daycare building has a three gate entrance, to ensure that no dog can accidentally escape (even if they jumped one gate, there are still two others to get past before they are free). The main gate is self closing, so that should a forgetful owner not close it behind themselves, it will close anyway.

As mentioned above, the daycare is always supervised. The dogs are never left unattended, not even for a minute.

We also undertake a whole days 'temperament assessment' for every newcomer, to ensure that they are dog friendly, and responsive to commands.

What is a 'temperament assessment?' 

At our daycare, every dog will have an 'assessment day' before being able to come to daycare on a regular basis. This day is free of charge, and it can be a whole day. We don't feel that an hour is enough time to assess a dog and that is why we try to get them in for a full day.

What we aim to do during this day, is assess their temperament and the way that they behave with us and the other dogs. What we are looking for, is a dog with no aggressive tendencies. We also like them to be responsive to our voices and actions.

The first initial meeting between a new dog and others, will be with us using our own dogs (Mila and Emy). We will then gradually introduce them, one by one, (usually starting with the calmest dog first, moving up to the more boisterous) to the daycare group, using a lead if we feel we need to.

Watching the new dog's initial reaction to each meeting can give us an insight into their temperament, and any aggressive or dominating behaviour can be spotted during these early stages. Once this has been done and all has gone well, the new dog is allowed to play with the group, and we will pay particular attention to their behaviour during the day and get to know their personality.

Any dog which we have any reservations about, even slight, will not be allowed to attend the daycare. Our first priority is keeping our current dogs safe, and we would never take any unnecessary chances.

Most dogs however, get on very well, and really enjoy their day making new friends and playing. It is often the first time that they have really been free to play and interact with other dogs, and they love it.

Do they need to be vaccinated or neutered to come to daycare? 


All male dogs much be neutered. This is Council licence condition rules and something that, although we know many full male dogs would get on just fine, we must still follow. Bitches do not need to be spayed although we do ask that they stay at home during their seasons as they can often get pestered and upset by the other dogs.

The vaccinations that the dogs must have to come to daycare are the same as the ones that they need to come to kennels. Full yearly boosters plus, in addition, the Kennel Cough vaccine (which is a separate vaccination, given via a squirt up the nostrils).

All dogs must also be 6 months of age or older. (Also council licence condition rules).

We do not restrict entry on breed or size. We have never felt the need to, as when undertaking the temperament assessment we also account for the way the bigger dogs behave with the smaller ones (i.e. they must be aware of their size and not trample others!).

What are your prices and opening hours?

The daycare opens at 7.30am, and closes at 6.30pm. This gives people a little extra time to get to and from work to drop off and collect their dogs.

The cost for the daycare is £15.00 per day, or for two dogs from the same family, £25.00 per day. We also run a loyalty card scheme, where every 10th visit is free.

We fell that this is excellent value and very competitively priced.

How can I be sure my dog enjoys it? 

We take regular photos and videos of all the dogs at the kennels and daycare. So you can see for yourself! Sometimes it does take a little time for them to settle in, but every dog we have had, who may have started out a little nervous, has gained confidence in themselves within a very short space of time.

Please visit our Facebook page to see more photos and videos.

Interested? - Feel free to message via Facebook, or e-mail/telephone us for more information!

01829 760631