"What do you do on hot days?"

One of the most common questions we get during the summer is what do you guys do in the heat?  Preferred Pet Care Inc. has a couple different options for what we do during our summer months.  

In extreme heat we stay inside.  Our facility is fully equipped with Central Air Condition.  Additionally if you’re unaware we also have a full service generator so we will never lose power.  That means if during extreme heat where sometimes the power will flicker, we won’t have that happen.  We’ll be enjoying the crisp cool AC.

On hot weather days we will go back and forth between the indoor play area and the outside play yards.  We have five outside yards.  All of our yards have some type of covering whether it’s one of our trees, umbrellas, or large tents.  In the summer months the playgroup is typically in one of the yards (Yard 2 as we call it) that is all the way at the back of the building, 90% of the yard is covered with shade from our large tent.  It is truly amazing how cool that area stays because it’s shaded by the buildings and by the tents as well.  Furthermore Preferred Pet Care Inc. has a smaller yard (yard 5) that is also 90% covered by one of large tents.  The dogs always have access to water whether they are outside or inside.  We are constantly refreshing and refilling the water dishes to ensure that the dogs are hydrated.  When we are outside on hot days we consistently have the sprinklers or the pools out.  The pools are typically emptied at around 3:30/4pm so that as our daycare dogs are getting picked up customers don’t have a wet dog, so this allows time for the pups to dry a bit before going home.  

Don’t worry we know your dog(s) and we know our dog breeds, that’s our job.  

Shockingly enough some of the dogs enjoy the heat.  German Short Hair Pointers, American Water Spaniels, Great Danes, Australian Cattle dogs, Airedale Terriers, Golden Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, American Fox Hound, Basenji, Canaan dogs, Chihuahua, Chinese Crested, Italian Greyhound, and Pharaoh Hound are all dogs perfectly suited to enjoy hot climates.  On the flip side we also recognize what breeds cannot tolerate the heat such as Shih Tzus, Saint Bernards, Pugs, Boxers, French Bulldogs, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Pekingese, essentially any dog with a pushed in snout.  Furthermore the staff at Preferred Pet Care Inc. is aware of your dog’s normal behavior, so if they’re acting differently that sends a red flag up to us.  With that in mind we are fully attentive of signs and symptoms of heat stroke and heat exhaustion.  Remember a staff member is always in with the playgroup so if the playgroup is outside, guess what, we are right there with the dogs.  If it’s extremely hot or extremely cold chances are we don’t want to be outside in the extreme weather either.  At Preferred Pet Care Inc. our motto truly is that the dogs come first.  Every rule, regulation, protocol, and procedure that we have at our facility is taking into account what is in the best interest of the dogs.  Preferred Pet Care Inc. understands that your dog is not just a pet; they’re a member of your family.  We know, because they’re a member of our family too.  

 

So now that you’re aware that some breeds enjoy hot weather and that others don’t that brings us to the other way we adapt in the summer months.  Preferred Pet Care Inc. will often have numerous play groups going which means we may have a playgroup inside (for our pups such as our pugs, Boston terriers, malamutes, aka our dogs that don’t like the heat), and an outside playgroup (for our labs, golden retrievers, water spaniels, aka our dogs who enjoy the summer).  

 

While your pup is in our care set your mind at ease, your dog isn’t just with the professionals, they’re with—what we hope you’ll also agree—their second family or home away from home. 

Rufus

A day in the life of a dog…

My name is Rufus, I’m a border terrier.  I’m a regular here at Preferred Pet Care Inc., perhaps you’ve seen me on Facebook or on their website?  I enjoy sitting on the barrels or hanging out in one of the play houses.  If I’m not here for daycare chances are I’m boarding.  My family has a very busy schedule and I’m not always invited to travel with them.  No worries though I have other plans, big plans and that’s to go to Preferred Pet Care Inc. 

                So what do I usually do on a typical day you wonder, well let me tell you.  The staff greets me at my suite promptly at 7am.  I have to begin with my morning stretch and then I’m ready to go outside.  I’m not really a morning pup, and really the only thing I have on my mind that early is breakfast.  What am I going to eat?  When am I going to eat?  Will there be wet food?  Will I get treats?  Unfortunately I’ve been told I need to cut back a pound or two so I’ve been watching what I eat.  Regrettably that also means no delicious wet food. 

I’m escorted to my suite at ruffly 8am (you see what I did there that’s what we like to call dog humor).  I indulge in my breakfast and typically take a morning cat nap.  Once I think I’m just about to enter into a deep sleep my activity directors bring me back out to the play yard with all my friends.  Not only am I watching what I eat but I’m also trying to exercise more; so I indulge in playing with some of my friends (Spud, Gritz, Faraday, Waldo, Birdie, Parker, and Jagger).  I’m an equal opportunity player.

Throughout the day it’s business as usual sometimes there’s a trial so that means a new pup may be joining our crew.  On sunny days the pool is out.  When it’s really hot and none of us want to do anything we go inside to play in the air conditioned play area.  Sometimes we even go out to a different play yard.  Did you know there are FIVE play yards at Preferred Pet Care?  Yeah, I didn’t know that either.  I actually just found out that there’s 88 rooms at Preferred Pet Care.  That means that at least 88 dogs can have a slumber party at Preferred Pet Care Inc., that’s a lot of dogs!  I don’t think Mom will let me have 88 of my closet friends come over the house for a slumber party, I’ll have to ask her what she thinks of that. 

At around 4pm my tummy is grumbling so I know dinner time is coming up.  Right on time I’m brought back to my suite where I see an exquisite dinner has been prepared for me.  However much to my dismay no wet food.  Oh well my food is still scrumptious so I can’t complain.  After dinner I like to relax in my bed with my teddy bear and reflect on the day.  Who did I play with?  What was my favorite game of the day?  The best thing I ate today?  Who was my favorite person in the playgroup?  Did I make any new friends?  What’s on my agenda for tomorrow?  As you can tell I have a lot of things to ponder. 

Once the daycare taxi dogs leave (I can tell from the sound of the bus/van), that’s when I’m usually stirred from my daily reflection, it’s time to go back outside to stretch our legs again.  At this time most of my friends from daycare get picked up so I have to say good bye to my buddies, maybe I’ll see them tomorrow.  Some pups are regulars like I am and come daily or weekly.  Some of my other friends I maybe see every 2 or 3 weeks or I may see them only once a month.  No matter what time of the year it is or what day it is there’s always someone for me to play with.  As my daycare friends get picked up for the evening I continue playing with my other boarding friends.  I can tell it’s almost bedtime because almost all of my daycare friends have gone home and I can barely keep my eyes open.  RUFUS!  RUFUS!  Can I please have Rufus?  That’s me!  I get tucked in for the evening snuggle up with my teddy bear and that’s a wrap for my day.  I know it’s a RUFF life being me.