Ever change your mind about something? I have. When I first heard about doggie daycare, I thought it was a bit ridiculous. I heard friends and colleagues talk about it and I wondered why on earth anyone would send their dogs to daycare. I know they are our fur babies, but do we really have to bring them to a daycare lest we be considered neglectful parents? C'mon.

Then life changed and I was in a spot where there was no one to take care of my doggies George and Gracie when I had to be gone for an entire day. I mean, friends had offered, and I greatly appreciated their kindness, but everyone is so busy and I didn't want to impose on anyone.

But I didn't immediately think daycare. My daughter Liz found a soft-sided pet playpen with two zippered doors. I thought it would be a nice alternative to a cage for George and Gracie. I got it, set it up, and put the pups inside with a bowl of water.

When I returned home, I found the playpen on its side, water spilled everywhere. I figured it was George, since Gracie is a pup that loves the shelter of a cage. Gracie will sit under my desk (we call it her clubhouse). George, on the other hand, is a rebel and a roamer. So in an effort to thwart George's escape attempts, Liz suggested that I put a dog bed in the bottom so that George couldn't tip it over. Suggestion noted, I left them in the playpen once more.

Undeterred, George (let's face it, it's always George) began gnawing on the zipper and he was there to greet me at the door when I got home, having made his escape. Luckily he had not totally destroyed the zipper, so the cage was still usable.

George was on to my tricks however, and the next time I put them in the playpen, George did manage to chew the zipper to death, making the playpen essentially worthless. Again George met me at the door, happily wagging his tail in victory. I was not amused.

On to Plan B. It seemed that doggie daycare might be a solution, so I did some sleuthing and found Camp Belly Rub, which I think is a franchise. I assume their cat daycare is called Camp Scratch Your Eyes Out, but I digress.

Camp Belly Rub offered a full day behavior observation for free, so I thought I would take advantage of it.

I must admit that it was with some trepidation that I left George and Gracie off at the Camp, but I didn't get any calls that day, to my great relief.

When I picked them up later that afternoon, I got a full report from the sweet ladies who were in charge. George was very social and loved the other dogs, but Gracie kept more to herself and sat under the desk most of the day. Hey, no one got bit, George didn't destroy anything. I've become a doggie daycare believer.