1) What are the main criteria people should look for when searching for a quality doggie day care center?

Look for providers that staff experts on-site.  This drives internal education, best practices, and professional advice for both associates and clients alike.  Many centers will say they work with a trainer or a vet but the relationship is established as an indirect third party provider (not on-site).  How long as the provider been around?  Do they offer a trial for you and your dog to try the service?  Putting their money where their mouth is can be a sure sign of the confidence and belief they provide in their experience.  Transparency is critical and we don’t mean a webcam.  Can you like inside the Day Care area?  These are harder operations to run but drive accountability, improvement, and a more pristine environment for your dog.  Avoid provider promising or guaranteeing behavior or results regarding your dog.  Even with the most professional practices in place caring for live animals means they can get sick and hurt.  Look for somewhere that will provide you with realistic expectations.

2) What benefits do dogs in day care have over those who stay at home?

Canine wellness is not limited to annual vet visits and up-to-date vaccinations.  Some of the benefits enjoyed by dogs participating in Day Care include:

1. Strengthens respiratory and circulatory systems
2. Helps get oxygen to tissue cells
3. Wards off obesity & builds immunity
4. Keeps muscles toned and joints flexible (very important for senior dogs)
5. Forms ‘socialization’ – the development of interactive skills with members of its own and other species and learns to be comfortable in different situations and environments
6. Releases energy, relieves boredom, and keeps mind active
7. Aids in digestion

Dogs that are isolated during their early years of life develop many problems. A few will become aggressive, but the majority are more likely to become overly shy or timid. They lack confidence in the presence of new people or situations. They cower in the presence of strangers. They jerk at their leash to get away from children or other pets. Forced to be in a new place, they may sit shaking, drooling, and panting rapidly. In the worst case scenario, they may become fear biters. This is a behavioral pattern in which dogs, when encountering new people or pets they are afraid of, do not know how to react and simply attempt to bite the stranger. Once this develops, it can be very difficult to overcome.

3) How is your staff trained?

We seek highly educated and skilled professionals with deep experience in developing needs-based relationships with clients over a long period of time.   These individuals must thrive in an environment that is entrepreneurial, fast-paced, and centered on constant improvement.  We improve our level of client service each day by putting ourselves in our client’s shoes, understanding their true needs, and regularly seeking honest and constructive feedback.  Following a screening period our network of pet experts, which include veterinarians and trainers, work with management to identify weaknesses, develop skill-set, and provide recognition.  Additional responsibility and opportunities are provided when the individual has established a track record of success and exceeded expectations.

4) What is the philosophy of biscuits & bath?

Through our mission we work with our clients to positively impact the quality of life for each dog we serve.  This is established by our core values to be dog care driven, get all details rights, execute successfully, empathize with clients, and by setting teammates up for success.  Providing individualized care through a comprehensive total wellness framework while educating our community we have been able to differentiate ourselves and continue to innovate.

5) What do you enjoy most about your business?

Working with our clients, dogs, associates, and business partners has allowed me to do something sustainable which also positively impacts multiple individuals.  As a professional New York has a lot of opportunities to make money, however, life does not grant many opportunities to love what you do, make a meaningful impact, and establish a livelihood.  Biscuits & Bath provides our ecosystem with a unique opportunity to bring humanity to the work place.

6) Are you planning on opening up any new locations?

Yes, and we are happy to hear about new spaces, neighborhoods, or buildings where we would be an asset to the community.  We are fortunate that our industry is unlikely typical retail as dogs naturally bring people together to create a place you can call home.  Establishing relationships where the dog, owner, and care giver all win is important to our mission and longevity.

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