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In China, a growing number of pet owners are investing heavily in pet kindergartens to care for their animals while they are at work. These facilities offer comprehensive day care, etiquette training, and hobby development courses for pets.
One such kindergarten in Beijing provides an etiquette course that goes beyond basic commands. It includes social skills training, teaching pets group interaction, handshaking, and even playing dead. According to Economic View, these classes focus on skills like nodding, bowing, ringing bells, closing doors, fetching slippers and toys, crawling, and catching frisbees. The 30-day courses cost around 11,000 yuan (US$1,500).
Pet kindergartens have become a lifesaver for full-time workers who struggle to spend enough time with their pets. A Labrador owner told Economic View that the kindergarten even bathes the dogs, making her life easier after work. She also noted that her pet seemed happier when playing with other dogs. Similarly, a Bengal cat owner mentioned that her cat seemed lonely staring out the window, so she enrolled it in a pet kindergarten due to her busy schedule.
Many pet owners appreciate the expertise of kindergarten teachers in handling difficult animals. One pet school offers an intensive 45-day, one-on-one course with full boarding, costing 12,000 yuan (US$1,650). Some kindergartens provide day care services, the most expensive of which costs 700 yuan (US$95) per day and includes pick-up and drop-off by a "school bus." Others offer a "boarding school" format with closed training and 24-hour monitoring.
An entrepreneur who started a pet kindergarten in Shanghai told the Economic Review that their facility can accommodate about 30 dogs and seven cats.
Online opinions about this trend are mixed. One commenter said, "This 11,000 yuan is well spent! When I retire, I plan to get a puppy and will definitely send it to learn some skills." Another person remarked, "How is it more expensive than my child’s summer classes?" A third commenter expressed concern, saying, "Now dogs have to attend training classes too? It’s not enough to push kids, now we’re pushing dogs?"
Source: SCMP
