Frequently-Asked Questions

What is Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

Blake’s Doggy Daycare is the new hip place to be for dogs in the Collier Row area. Whilst their owners are at work, doing the food shopping, catching up with friends or simply having a restful day, dogs are welcome to spend their time with us and get stuck into all different activities.

What activities go on at Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

One of the directors of Blake’s Doggy Daycare is a former teacher, so lesson planning and timetable management is one of her specialties. Sending your dog to Blake’s Doggy Daycare means they will follow a structured timetable full of activities, exercise regimes, training and resting time. You will receive regular feedback throughout the day about how they are getting involved in the activities and how they are finding it. Examples of activities are paw painting, bubble machine fun, Bluey TV time and more! On request, we’d be happy to provide an example of a timetable, to see what your dog is signing up for!

What are Blake’s Doggy Daycare’s opening hours?

Blake’s Doggy Daycare is currently in its soft launch phase of opening and is open on Mondays to Fridays at 07:30-18:30. If we find that there is a strong demand for it, we will also be opening on Saturday’s in the near future, so sign up quickly!

Can I see the premises before enrolling my dog at Blake’s Doggy Daycare, even without bringing my dog at first?

Absolutely! And in fact, we encourage it! As fur baby owners ourselves, we know how much it means for an owner to see and know that their dog is in a safe environment and in loving hands whilst they are away. Make contact with us and we will do our best to accommodate and organise this with you.

My dog likes a quieter, slower paced environment, are they suitable for Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

Of course! At Blake’s Doggy Daycare, we know that not all dogs have the same energy. Therefore, we have designed a specialised quiet area for the dogs who need some valuable "me time". There will be calming sounds, relaxing scents and plenty of comfy places to snooze or just put their paws up!

Do you pick up and drop dogs off?

Not as of yet, but hopefully as we expand! We have big plans of including this as one of our services. Watch this space.

How do you feed the dogs at Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

When it is time for your dog to have their breakfast, lunch or dinner, they will be separated from the other dogs and have their meal in peace, monitored by one of our staff members. This will make sure that they feel comfortable and don’t feel rushed to eat in case one of their mates tries to nick their grub!

With an extra £2 supplement, we can provide them food. However, we heavily encourage that the dog's food is brought in for us to give to them at directed times during the day. This ensures they are having consistent food and will be less stress on their tummies.

Will I get updates throughout the day?

As long as it is okay with you, we will be providing regular updates throughout the day, which will include photos and videos! Even if you don’t want updates during your day, at the end of the week all of our clients will receive our weekly Blake’s Doggy Daycare newsletter, which will include all the highlights of the week.

Is Blake’s Doggy Daycare fully insured?

Of course! You can send your pup here with full reassurance that Blake’s Doggy Daycare is insured in all the appropriate areas, to keep your furry friends protected, as well as ourselves.

My dog has specific medical needs, will these be adhered to?

For sure! Every member of staff at Blake’s Doggy Daycare has been on a first aid course specified for our tail wagging friends. We will be pros at the basic first aid training, but we’re also prepared to be taught and understand any additional training needed to adhere to individual cases, such as diabetes management or giving certain medications, for example ear and eye drops. Every case will be reviewed thoroughly so that we can meet every need - no one will be left out!

What is the staff to dog ratio at Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

Blake's Doggy Daycare is currently in its soft launch phase. Meaning, we are currently only accepting 10 dog’s maximum a day to our centre. At the moment, there are two members of staff at Blake’s Doggy Daycare, meaning the staff to dog ratio is currently 5 dogs to one person.

When we have our hard launch later on in the year, we will be increasing this maximum to 20 dogs a day. We will be hiring 2 further members of staff, meaning the staff to dog ratio will still remain at roughly 5 dogs to one person.

The current legal requirement for staff to dog’s ratio is 1 person to 10 dogs, so we are already exceeding in those expectations.

Are crates used at Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

At Blake's Doggy Daycare, we have a dedicated quiet area for the dogs that need to have some scheduled rest or need a calmer environment away from all the playing. In this quiet area, we have a few OPEN creates, that all the dogs are free to use and come in and out of whenever they please. None of these crates will ever be closed with a dog in them, but we have gained understanding, through our training, that some dogs like to retreat to a quieter, safe area by themselves to properly feel comfortable. Whether it is to have a nap, or to use as a safe area until they are comfortable to play more in the main area, there are benefits to have these open crates. Never will a member of staff force a dog into one of the crates and never will a dog be closed in one of them, that’s a promise from us to you!

What will happen if my dog doesn’t get along with another dog?

Depending on how each of the dogs tester sessions go, if we professionally assess the situation and feel it can be worked on, we will dedicate some time to working with both of the dogs to making sure they feel more comfortable around each other. However, if the behaviours shown are worrying, we will have to have discussions with both owners about moving forward and prioritise the safety of ALL dogs at Blake’s Doggy Daycare.

Are Blake’s Doggy Daycare staff First Aid Trained?

We sure are! We are trained and certified in Dogs First Aid care. Our certificates are proudly displayed in our reception area, if you wanted a closer look.

What happens if there is an emergency?

If there is an emergency involving your dog, after immediately resolving the situation and making sure your dog is in a safe space, we will immediately be phoning you to provide a summary of the situation, discuss the best options and how you would like to proceed.

If we feel your dog can’t wait and needs to be taken to a vet immediately, there are 2 local veterinary practices in a one mile radius from Blake’s Doggy Daycare – Goddard Vets Collier Row and Wooding’s Family Veterinary Practice.

Does my dog have to have a “tester” before being enrolled at Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

Yes, all dogs that will be enrolled at Blake’s Doggy Daycare will need to have had a free half day “tester” at the centre before future bookings can be made. This will ensure that the environment is a good fit for both your dog and the other dogs at Blake’s Doggy Daycare! Start your dog’s journey here!

Is my puppy too young to come to Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

At Blake’s Doggy Daycare, we accept puppies from the age of 4 months onwards. The first 8-12 weeks of a puppies life should ideally be spent with their mothers and having the appropriate vaccinations. After they have had that one month to get settled into home life, it will be prime time to introduce them to other experiences and environments, such as daycare! This will be key for their socialisation skills, provide appropriate exercise and stimulation for them as well as getting used to their owners returning after a period of time. Also, keep an eye out for future evening Puppy Training Classes at Blake’s Doggy Daycare!

Is my large dog allowed at Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

Due to the differing play styles between small and large dogs, we must be very careful and considerate when it comes to the needs of all our dogs at Blake’s Doggy Daycare.That is why every dog must have a free tester, so that we can monitor this behaviour and see whether it will work for all dogs.

During the day, we will separate into groups when appropriate, depending on differing energy levels, size and personalities, but we need to make sure that every dog is safe throughout the whole day.

All of this will be taken into consideration when assessing every dog, whether they be large or small.”

My dog isn’t neutered/spayed, can they still come to Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

There are lots of additional health benefits for our fur babies to be spayed and neutered, so we do recommend that dogs have this procedure, if they are not being used for breeding purposes. However, each case is different and with further talks between us and the owners, we may be able to accept a dog that isn’t neutered/spayed dependent on behaviour traits and whether or not female dogs are in heat.

Does my dog need to have had vaccinations to attend Blake’s Doggy Daycare?

Yes, all dogs enrolled at Blake’s Doggy Daycare will be required to provide proof of vaccinations for Canine Distemper, Parvovirus, Infectious Canine Hepatitis and Leptospirosis.

As your dog will be mixing with other dogs, the Kennel Cough vaccination is also heavily recommended, as this can be quite contagious, especially amongst a close knit group of dogs. We want all our Blake’s Doggy Daycare babies to be in top, fit condition!

Proof of vaccinations and records can easily be obtained from your vet.