Having a Dog

Having a dog is a lot of fun but also a lot of responsibility and commitment. Dogs need “forever homes”; a home and a family that they will be with for life. It’s important that owners do not purchase a dog until they are financially stable and that their lifestyle is conducive to having a pet. People that live in small apartments may opt to have a smaller dog as opposed to a big one. Ideally, a dog should have access to a backyard so they can be outside sometimes, but it’s not mandatory. If the owner can devote enough time to taking the dog for walks and playtime, then it’s completely fine that an “indoor dog”. There are playgroups for dogs (and owners) so that the dogs can socialize and play together. There are also doggy daycare facilities that cater to the dog and they can play while their owners are at work or busy. The Wags Club, a resort-style daycare for dogs in Santa Monica, CA boasts a luxurious, 12,000 sq. ft. facility/outdoor play area. Here dogs can play cage-free and are watched after by friendly, dog-loving employees. It’s important that you instill obedience and manners in your dog at an early age. You can do this yourself or hire a professional dog trainer. Some key obedience skills are responding to the command “sit”, as well as learning not to jump on people. Whether they are allowed to be on furniture will be the owner’s personal decision, and at the very least the dog should be housebroken. A helpful tip is to see that the dog sits before walking through any doorway. This will ensure that the owner walks the dog, not the other way around. On that note, training the dog to walk on a leash is another important lesson. There are many types of collars that assist in this learning process, from choke chains to “gentle lead” muzzles.

The Wags Club is a premiere, cage-free indoor/outdoor dog daycare, boarding and grooming service in Santa Monica. We believe in providing every dog a home away from home. In line with our belief, the daycare is owned and operated by Abi Thiagarajah from an exclusive, luxurious facility in the West L.A/ Santa Monica area where members are lovingly pampered and nurtured. dog daycare malibu