Our Doggy Daycare
Activities include running, playing, paddle pools and various other forms of hooliganism. But our emphasis is on socialising in an appropriate manner with other dogs, cats and livestock species, and basic good manners. The Farm Girls dogs learn to “dog”!
People choose Farm Girls for many reasons. Our clear love and affection for our dogs (both our own and our visiting dogs) is always top of the list. But that’s not the only reason. Doggy daycare is about so much more than leaving your dogs in the care of someone else for the day.
There are numerous benefits that come from the exposure dogs get at daycare such as:
- Contributes to Better Behaved Pets – Dogs respond to different situations based on their overall training and socialisation (habituation). Being in a well-run, experienced daycare facility can train your dog to recognise behaviour patterns in other dogs and even humans, and adapt their own behaviour accordingly.
- Improved Fitness for Your Dog – All dogs need regular physical activity. Obesity in pets is a major concern and can significantly reduce the life span of your dog. Supervised daycare play provides the physical activity dogs need, at their own pace.
- Provides Structure – Being in our daycare can help your dog with destructive behaviors that they may exhibit at home. Just like children, dogs learn from others and will adapt well to routines and schedules. It’s easy to hype a dog up but a lot of dogs struggle to relax. A big part of daycare is down time – learning to relax with others. Our resident dogs are excellent role-models!
The earlier a dog starts daycare, the better for the dog long term. However, even older dogs love attending daycare!
Our dogs are separated according to size and sometimes play style – small dogs from big dogs at the least – however all of the dogs have supervised interactions with all different sizes and natures of dogs and our mandate is to prepare all dogs for real life as best we can in your absence.
Our rates are highly competitive. We are committed to giving you the best at an affordable rate. Get in touch with us and see just how easy it is for us to meet your daycare needs, without putting a hole in your pocket.
Important to know about our daycare:
- Our daycare transport service operates in Dainfern, Chartwell, Beverly, Kengies, Fourways Gardens, Broadacres, Craigavon. Please contact us should you be unsure of whether we can provide transport for your area
- We also have an option for folks to drop off and collect their dogs themselves
- All dogs must attend a minimum of twice a week
- We operate on a contract basis; an ad-hoc rate is also available
- It is assumed that all dogs are used to at a minimum walking on leash in the vicinity of other dogs (see below)
- Dogs known to be aggressive (physically drawing blood on other dogs) are not permitted at daycare
- Shy and nervous dogs are accommodated and will be eased into the programme
- All dogs over the age of 7 months must be sterilised – no exceptions
- Enrolment includes a booking form, indemnity and T’s and C’s
- We do not accept the following breeds: Pitbull (American Pitbull Terrier), Amstaff (American Staffordshire Terriers), American Bully, Staffy (Staffordshire Bull Terrier), English Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Shar Pei, Chow Chow, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Boerboel and Bull Mastiff. We do not accept dogs cross bred (“mixed”) with the following breeds: Pitbull, Amstaff, American Bully, Staffy, Shar Pei and Chow Chow. Please note that the Pitbull that is occasionally featured in our photos and videos is on a special arrangement for many years now, and does not interact with other client dogs – and is the only Pitbull we host
- We reserve the right to accept or decline admission based on visual markers that lend themselves towards the above mentioned breeds. Having operate our daycare for more than a decade we are very aware of the types of dogs that suit our highly social environment
- All dogs are enrolled subject to our assessment as to their suitability for daycare
- Daycare is payable in advance for the month – choose from our ad-hoc rate or one of our contracts
- Additional services are available at an additional cost: basic grooming, obedience training and more – our contracts have certain inclusions for nada
- We keep you informed about your dog via our handy app (iPhone and Android accessible)
- Should you wish to do a trial day before committing to the service we are happy to do so in line with our availability – we require 2-3 consecutive trial days to be booked (R250.00 per dog per day) for us all to get a good idea of how your dog/s will enjoy daycare. Trial days take place between Tuesday and Friday
- We require the following breeds to attend a mandatory three-day trial assessment before enrollment: Ridgeback (Rhodesian Ridgeback), Great Dane, St. Bernard, Husky, Alaskan Malamute, English Bulldog, French Bulldog, Doberman and Boxer. We may accept these breeds without a trial if they are puppies under the age of 5 months.
- Daycare is closed annually for +/- 3 weeks between +/- 15 December and 7 January
- We reserve the right of admission for both daycare and boarding.
Have a look at some of our transported daycarers starting their days (crazy to think that a lot of these guys and girls started off shy!)