4 Ways Daycare Brings Out the Best in Dogs

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Numerous studies have shown that Americans are working longer hours and according to the American Psychological Association, 39 percent of people work more than a typical workweek. That's over forty hours a week that Fido is left alone to his own devices. Surprisingly, dogs can benefit greatly from regularly attending "doggie daycare" rather than staying home alone during the day. Jason Michal, Vice President of Pet Services and Hospitality for Pooch Hotel, the five-star luxury boarding and daycare facility, has put together top reasons why dogs can benefit from this time away from home.

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1) Physically Fit: An estimated 55.6 percent of dogs are considered overweight or obese in the United States according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention and one of the best ways to prevent obesity is regular exercise. "Sending a dog to daycare ensures they are active much of the day while the pet parent is at work," says Michal. Running around and playing with other four-legged pals helps maintain cardiovascular fitness and a healthy weight. "I always like to tell pet parents that a tired dog is a happy dog," adds Michal.  

2) Mental Stimulation: Sitting around the house all day and playing with the same old toys can lead to destructive behavior that can demolish a couch or even that pair of shoes that were left lying around. "Dogs can actually get bored," states Michal. "Pets who attend daycare at Pooch Hotel or our Pooch Play locations are kept occupied with various games and activities supervised by our staff, leaving them mentally stimulated and less likely to destroy the house for attention." Canines are happy to be kept in a rousing environment where they can play with other dogs and people.

3) Proper Socialization: Dogs enjoy the socialization aspect of interacting with others. In addition to making friends, pets that attend daycare learn the social skills they need. Dogs are pack animals by nature, but rarely get to be around a pack. This means some dogs can become aggressive or overly fearful of other dogs. "At Pooch Hotel and Pooch Play daycare locations, attendees are divided into play groups by size and/or activity level to ensure their safety," says Michal. In these groups, pets learn how to play well with others, which often helps dogs work through any anxiety or fearfulness. "Plus, a well-socialized dog is always the most popular pooch at the dog park," says Michal.

4) Emotional Health: Hanging out with other dogs during the day can also greatly benefit a dog's emotional health. Being in a pack environment can help build confidence and their role as a dog. "Our team often plays a pack leader game with the dogs," says Michal. "The staff acts as pack leader and begins to circle while all the dogs automatically follow along. It may seem simple, but activities like this help dogs do what they were instinctively born to do."

Most importantly, whether it is one hour a week or eight hours a day, a clean, safe, fun and constantly monitored daycare facility can benefit any dog. To learn more about Pooch Hotel visit http://www.poochhotel.com. To learn more about Pooch Play visit: http://www.poochplay.com.

About Pooch Hotel
Owned by Petco™, Pooch Hotel is a luxury, best-in-class hotel and daycare, exclusively for dogs, that has redefined pet boarding options across the country. The hotels place a premium on convenience, extraordinary customer care, superior facilities and outstanding services. Amenities include Palace and Presidential suites with DogTV (not available at all locations at this time); The Club @ Pooch Hotel featuring a fitness center complete with dog-specific treadmills; spa offering paw-dicures and facials; and supervised daycare. Some hotels also offer custom swimming pools. 24-hour webcam access is available and pet parents can drop off and pick up pets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Locations include West Los Angeles, CA, Dallas TX, Chicago, IL, Hollywood, CA, Sunnyvale, CA, Boston, MA and San Diego, CA. www.poochhotel.com

CONTACT:
Krista Lamp
[email protected]
619.501.2756

SOURCE Pooch Hotel