there are a lot of things to look for and consider when chosing a doggy daycare.
the rotating dogs thing?: it isnt so much a "bad" thing to rotate the dogs, but if the dogs are in pens/crates/cages, then rotated to a playing yard, lets say, every other hour, well then i just dont think you are getting a good service. i dont think anyone should pay for a full day of daycare when the dog is only out half the day. i personally wouldnt use a facility that did this, b/c its a waste of money, and the dog can sleep at home.
finding a daycare: the thing is, all the great facilities in my area (may be different in other places) do not advertise, they rely on word of mouth for business. in fact, all the places that do advertise are the places i wouldnt ever leave a dog. so looking in your phone book may bnot be the best option. the best way to find any sort of doggie business is to ask people. anytime you see a person with a dog (especially the more energetic breeds like labs, aussies, border collies, etc), ask them if they recommend any place. not only will they tell you the places they like, but they will probably tell you the places to avoid. vets are a good source too, they usually know which places are good and which are bad.
choosing a daycare: imo, i would never take my dog anywhere that didnt do 2 things before the dog stayed. first, they have you go to the facility and see it first. second, they do an evaluation on your dog. these 2 things tell you that this place does not just take any dog. with any interactive facility, you want to be very cautious, b/c some places do not have the manpower or knowledge to run the place safely. you want to make sure the place actually knows what they are talking about, when it comes to dog behavior, and supervising large groups of dogs. here are some things you want to see when visiting: no more than 10-12 dogs per staff member; no poop or pee, or any evidence of it. the only reason you should see either is if it is being cleaned up in front of you; the yards are safe (no exposed wires, nails, broken anything); and most importantly, the dogs should be having fun. every good daycare i have worked at or been too has one thing in common: no barking dogs. the only time there should be any excessive barking is right when you go in and the dogs first see you. excessive barking is proof of discomfort somewhere in the kennel. also, ask them about what sort of training they do on a daily basis, and make sure it is something you agree with. a lot of times, these places use their own training methods on dogs, and they end up confused from 2 different types of training.
well, sorry to say, price says A LOT about a place. in my area, the only places i would leave a dog at are $25 a day. the ones that are 10/day, and ones that i would never leave a dog at. it sucks, but it is really hard to find a "good" deal with dogs. if the price is low, that generally means its not a place you want to use. thats not to say all places are like this, it has just been my experiance.
Some things they can get include doggy warts, which usually fall off on their own 4-8 weeks after they get them. Kennel cough, just because your dog gets kennel cough at a facility does not mean its a bad facility. Its just like us getting a cold, it happens. Your dogs pads may be sore the first few weeks until they harden up. They can get little cuts, bruises and tufts of fur pulled out during play if the dog is a hard player. They can get pink eye from other dogs and people. The benefits are huge, the dog gets socialized and exercised
