$30.00 [Doggie Daycare]

I dropped the pups off this morning at doggie daycare at Unleash Brooklyn.  Doggie daycare is such a New York thing -- if you don't live in New York and you're reading this, you are correct in thinking that New York dog owners are crazy.  Our dogs wear clothes and have birthday parties and parades; they ride the subway, get their photos taken with Santa, go out to bars with us, and attend doggie daycare.  Welcome to New York.

Betelgeuse used to attend doggie daycare twice a week as a puppy, but she has less energy now and she also lives with her favorite playmate in the world (who she can play with for free), Lulu.  Lulu lived at Unleash for awhile when she was first rescued and pregnant.  (Dog Habitat Rescue operates out of Unleash Brooklyn, so many of the rescues spend their first few days or weeks there before they are fostered or adopted.)  Lulu doesn't really enjoy daycare -- she seems to think of Unleash as a homeless shelter -- we're not dropping her off for daycare, we're leaving and never coming back.  She was particularly dramatic about being dropped off this morning.

In any event, whatever their feelings, I like for Betel and Lulu to attend doggie daycare at least once a month -- usually during a super busy week when we have less time to exercise them.  This week is one of those weeks.  Kyler left the apartment even earlier than me this morning -- today is the first day of his life as a celebrity brewer (more on that at another time).

Daycare is great!  The socialization with new dogs and people is good for our pups, and after a day at Unleash, they sleep for the next two days.  In addition, we sometimes board them overnight at Unleash, so I want them to feel comfortable with the environment and employees.  I like to support the owners of Unleash Brooklyn, Rob and Bea, who also own District Dog -- they do so much for the Greenpoint dog community (including the McGolrick Park dog run) and the rescued pups of Dog Habitat (e.g., Lulu!).  And finally, perhaps most importantly, Unleash keeps a blog with photos of the dogs at daycare.  You already know that I like to spy on my pets while at work, so I really enjoy the blog.  The photos are hilarious.

I've collected some of my favorite daycare photos to share with you.  Betelgeuse always looks completely insane, and Lulu is always lurking in the shadows and blending in with the floor.  In the photos below, the red arrow identifies Betel, and the blue arrow Lu.

You think this photo is about Betelgeuse but it's about Lulu not having any fun in the background. 

 Great photo bomb, Betel.

Again, Lulu, lurking. 

Betelgeuse is bigger than Lulu, so I sometimes forget that she's still smaller than almost every other dog.  And then I see a photo like this and can't believe that she's real.

Two peensies on a bench.

 Those two dogs in the back are about to start some crap, and the rest of the dogs -- Betel included -- are just waiting for it to happen.

I brightened this photo and surprise! Lulu was back there. 

That other dog's name is Howie. 

This is one of my favorite photos.  Just two litte blobs sleeping in a row of dogs. 

Butt sniffing -- Betel's m.o. 

 Love the chaos of this photo.

 Hanging out with all their dog friends while we go to work and do other things.

Fluffy.

 I assume that Lulu is just headed toward Betelgeuse here.  This is the only photo of her without Betel.

 Two blobs in the back.

Moving through the crowd.

 Someone I don't know kissing my dogs.

 Again.  It's cute, but Betel is kind of whatever about it.

 Pokemon.

A full day of daycare costs $30, and a half day (6 hours) is $20.  There is a 10% discount for siblings. But since Unleash Brooklyn loves Lulu so much, and because we fostered her and other Dog Habitat pups in the past, Lulu's daycare is free.  Thanks, Unleash!