Share with your Pet Care Professionals

by Susan Thixton

I read an article recently about a family whose dog escaped from a Dog Day Care Facility. The family was a new customer to this Day Care and when they returned to pick up their dogno dog. The article didn’t share if the dog was later found, but what it did share was that after the escape, the owners told the day care the dog was a fence climber.

I used to own a boarding kennel. Over the Christmas holiday one year, a new customer brought me two Cocker Spaniels for boarding. The wife dropped off the dogs and gave me instructions to clean their ears daily. Since I was not familiar with these dogs and knowing that not every dog enjoys getting their ears cleaned, I questioned the owner how easily the dogs would accept this. She assured me they would be fine. On the first attempt I received the worst bite of my professional career. I thought the dog crushed my finger. It was one of those moments where the dog had my hand firmed locked between his jaws and I had to use my other hand to pry open his mouth! The dog made a strong point he didn’t want his ears cleaned.

Forward two weeks, the husband came to pick up the dogs. As soon as he walked in the door I shared with him what happened. His reply”I’m sorry, they bite us too - we muzzle them to clean their ears.”

The point to my sharing these storieswhenever you take your pet to a Groomer or Vet or Kennel - please tell the pet care provider things that you know about your pet’s behavior and personality. If the Day Care had known the dog was a fence climber, they could have taken precautions to make sure he did not escape. If I had known the cockers were biters, I could have put a quick muzzle on them and been able to keep their ears in good health and my hand in good health. I could share a million more stories just like the two above - my only guess as to why they happen so often is that some pet owners might be a little ashamed of their pet’s behaviors sometimes. My advice to you is to get over the embarrassment and tell pet care professionals what they need to know to keep your pet safe.

Unfortunately, there are pet care providers that just don’t care enough. I cringe when I think about the heartbreak reckless or careless behavior could cause. I can’t tell you exactly how to avoid these types of pet professionals, but I can give you some suggestions from someone who took care of pets for a living.

1. The pet business should be clean, clean, clean! To me, if a business owner doesn’t care enough about the cleanliness of the facility, what else don’t they care about? The kennel or grooming shop or daycare doesn’t have to be ’state of the art’ - but it does need to be clean.

2. Meet the staff. Meet as many of the staff as possible. This is difficult for the business owner because employees have other pets to take care of possibly when you’d like to meet them. Be patient and understanding with the business, but try to meet as many of the care providers as possible.

3. Get references and call them. The most important information can be learned from other customers of the business.

4. In most states pet care businesses are guided by local Animal Control licensing. Call the licensing agency and the Better Business Bureau and ask about any reports of abuse or misconduct with the pet business you are considering.

About the Author:

To read more dog and cat care tips and advice on choosing a healthy dog and cat food and treats for your dog or cat, visit www.TruthAboutPetFood.com. Make sure to register for the free Truth About Pet Food newsletter! dog and cats, dog and cat food, dog, dog food, cat, cat food