How Old for Doggy Day Care?

[Susan, Coby & Chloe]

We waited to put Coby into a local day care on days I worked from the office and when she had completed all of her shots. She'd been used to socializing with other dogs as she'd spent weeks 10-14 in training and was practically all housebroken. However, we noticed she started having accidents, of the poop variety, once she started doing so. I began crating her again when I can't be sure of confining and supervising her but I'm wondering if the doggie day care provided the scenario for such a set-back -- seeing other dogs relieving themselves, no correction and her likely doing the same, much as the folks there say she'd been doing fine.  I can't stay home every day and we'd rather not confine her to the crate (we have two - a smaller one in our bedroom and large one in the kitchen) so deciding on the best option for such days. Starting to consider a dog walker then to reinforce outdoor potty breaks and once completed can re-enroll her back in day care.  Thoughts? experiences?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

If I remember correctly my guys were about four months when they started Daycare, but the were completely potty trained first.  We never had any backsliding as a result of attending the Daycare.  At that age I did either crate them or confine them with a gate when I wasn't home or able to supervise them.

[Judith and Addie]

I had another mixed breed dog before I got Addie. He potty trained easily, in less than a week after I got him. I enrolled him in doggie day care, probably when he was about 5 months old. He did fine and his house training was fine, also. Now I have Addie. She is almost 5 months old, and almost house-trained. I am having a much more difficult time with her, and I believe some of it is because I have had to not only put her into doggie day care on occasion, but I have also had to board her for two unavoidable instances  (one was my daughter's wedding 6 hours drive away, and the other for surgery for me). My recommendation would be not to put her in doggie day care until her house training is rock-solid; no accidents for a month. If you can, I would recommend the dog walker for a while. I can't offer anything more than my own thoughts on that, though.

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

Tenley started day care at 16 weeks. He hasn't ever slipped on the housebreaking as a result.

[Susan, Coby & Chloe]

Good to hear that.  I think it was a combo of starting him in day care, my being out of town and my husband being a bit lax on "rules".  I've been doing more work from home days and confining Coby to smaller areas as well as reinforcing the doggy bells - she's had two doggy day care days and no accidents in the past two weeks so I'd say that's a huge step in the right direction!