EARLY EXERCISE:

 

If we asked all our clients why they first considered day care, their answers would most likely be so that their dog can get more exercise. It's essential. So much so that the first part of the day is spent walking the dogs in small groups in the fields next to Stablecroft. The fields are large and open, meaning we rarely encounter anyone/anything and if we do, then being able to spot them far away means we have plenty of time to ensure our dogs are safe.

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SOCIALIZATION:

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We have six secure paddocks (2 grass & 4 sand) the dogs can use each day. One is dedicated to our more elderly guests who are not fond of the youngsters and their silly antics. The others are for socializing & scent work. In a typical full day, each dog will have multiple opportunities to socialize in carefully selected and easily managed groups. Those interested in energetic play will be matched accordingly, whilst those more interest in just taking in the smell of the great outdoors can do so unbothered.

 

We supervise vigilantly and do our best to ensure that each dog up for success. Our highly skilled team along with our strict acceptance policy ensures no dog is placed under any unnecessary stress from another.

 

Not all dogs have the social skills to be in an environment like ours, whether that is due to a lack of good early socialization, one or more negative experiences with other dogs or you have rescued a dog with potentially complex issues. We have a beautiful network of mentor dogs that have been attending Stablecroft for some time who know how best to react to nervous or immature dogs to help them integrate as smoothly as possible. These mentor dogs, along with a carefully planned trial day, should give us an idea of whether your dog will be happy here.

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We prioritize welfare of the animals we care for and the team we employ. If we feel that your dog attending Stablecroft is too upsetting for them after all of the exercise and enrichment, or that they're upsetting the other dogs, we will suggest an alternative. This could be entail more regular visits to Stablecroft to help us work with you both or we may recommend a behaviourist with a view to reintroduce your dog once we've seen improvement.

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TRAINING:

 

Training is happening the entire time your dog is with us. They could be learning how to walk more calmly on the lead around different dogs or in new environments. They may be learn new play moves from the other playful dogs during their social time. They may be learning how to follow their sense of smell better during one of their scent work sessions. We sneakily lace one of the paddocks with a small amount of healthy goodies to allow small groups of dogs to search for the goodies. Both tiresome and extremely rewarding (the actually searching part more than the reward of food).

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We also have a totally unique small challenges course that's grown slowly over the years to incorporate lots of low intensity obstacles for a dog to work through. This is usually done on a lead and works as a fantastic place for dogs to learn how to better control their bodies (puppies especially), how to engage better with the handler & to have a ton of fun in the process.

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REST & RELAXATION:

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This is a crucial part of each dogs day. We all know just how much dogs sleep! But it's important that they feel comfortable doing so. We've created ideal spaces for their down time where water is plentiful and the beds are warm and comfy.

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Each dog will have their own individual resting space that is theirs for the entirety of the day. It's cleaned daily with water topped up and fresh bedding laid out onto an orthopedic bed. Each dog will receive around 2-3 hours of activity each day, broken up by rest. We do not have the dogs all out together in large groups before being shut away for the remainder of the day. The walks and social sessions last 30-45 minutes allowing for plenty of naps.

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The most common behavioral issue we encounter is separation anxiety. And whether it's attachment to the owners themselves or to people in general, it can be extremely stressful for a dog to attend a new day care or any new place unaccompanied if they suffer from this.

 

As previously mentioned, we prioritize welfare of the animals we care for. If we feel that your dog struggles with the resting portion of the day, even after all of the exercise and enrichment, we will suggest an alternative. This could be entail more regular visits to Stablecroft to help us work with them to build their confidence or we may recommend a behaviourist with a view to reintroduce your dog once we've seen improvement.

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If you're in the process of looking around for a day care then feel free to read our

Guide To What's Considered A Good Day Care.

 

JOINING THE WAITING LIST:

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Our day care is full and has been since 2019. We do have spaces coming up from time to time so to pop your name on the list to be contacted please fill out the survey below with as much info as you can:

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https://us20.list-manage.com/survey?u=d9bd09731c91ba26171785580&id=7cc7a70529&attribution=false

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PRICES:

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Minimum sign up for the day care is 1 full day per week or 2 half days per week. Prices  are based on 51 weeks in the year as we don't expect you'll need care over Christmas, although we're still open and happy to provide it if needed. A full Day is £35, Half is £25. Weekend day care is £40 and 24 hours is £50. 

For every additional day care day attended, the cost per day reduces by £1.

 

 

BOARDING:

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Boarding is a service we can provide to our regular day care clients. This is simply because their dogs will have been attending our facility on a weekly basis meaning the overnight stay will be far less stressful for them. Our guests love all of the activities and enrichment we provide but not all dogs enjoy being away from home for extended periods.

Once a dog has successfully completed a trial day and signed up to one of our day care subscription plans, then boarding will become available to you.