Many modern dog owners utilize dog day care facilities as a way to obtain socialization and exercise, especially in cases where dogs are otherwise home alone for the owner’s full workday.
We’ve all heard the word, “A tired dog is an excellent dog,” but there’s a huge difference between a puppy who sleeps because he’s tired and content, and your dog who sleeps because he’s exhausted from a stress-filled day. Dogs who spend a lot of their day engaged in an exciting activity, including the group play often found in poorly run daycare settings, actually experience significant amounts of arousal. Arousal includes a rush of adrenaline and cortisol, which can be stress hormones. Prolonged elevated degrees of stress hormones aren’t healthy - for pets or people!
It’s important to comprehend that all dog daycare facilities are not created equal. Generally, knowledgeable trainers agree that daycare facilities where large groups of dogs get access to free play in most of these visits (we’ll call those facilities “traditional daycare”) aren’t in the best interest of all dogs.
Group dog play typically consists of two compatible dogs paired together, or occasionally, in small sets of not more than three to five dogs.
Bonafide’s program is significantly different from a few of the traditional dog daycares we’ve seen where, often, groups as large as 30 or even more dogs spend your day in a community setting, being separated from the group only as a “time out” for exhibiting undesirable behavior. Often, proprietors of such facilities just don’t know much better.
WHAT THINGS TO LOOK FOR
When contemplating dog daycare, it’s important to research your facts. While we advise looking for a daycare that emphasizes enrichment over long hours spent “free-ranging” with other dogs, no matter the facility, we recommend considering:
* Admissions process. An established daycare should require background about your dog’s behavior and health background, as well as evaluation before welcoming your dog into the program. It’s important in all honesty when completing intake paperwork and discussing your pet. A lot more the facility staff knows about your pet, the better prepared they’ll be to help develop a positive experience at daycare.
With regards to accepting intact dogs, policies vary. With more owners leaning toward delaying spay/neuter until after 1 year old, some daycare facilities are usually more flexible about welcoming intact dogs. It’s important to closely manage intact dogs in an organizational setting, so make certain to ask questions. How are intact dogs incorporated into a playgroup?
* Is daycare befitting your dog? Not absolutely all dogs benefit from the company of other dogs - especially groups of other dogs, and that’s okay! Eakins says younger dogs with an easy-going play style tend to do best in an organizational play setting. Adult dogs who haven’t been subjected to group play are less inclined to integrate successfully.
If you’re considering daycare because your pet otherwise sleeps all day and you simply think he’s bored, think about this: Dogs are crepuscular, meaning, they may be naturally most active at dawn and dusk. It’s flawlessly normal for dogs to invest much of their days asleep!
Dog Daycare: What You Should Look For
Participants for playgroups should be matched in proportions and play style. The Labradoodle in the trunk is bigger than the majority of the other dogs in this group, but he’s also young and shy, rather than remotely ready for rough-and-tumble play. This group suits him perfectly.
* Group size, selection, and amount of free play. With regards to group play, less is more! Dogs typically play in pairs, even though in an organizational setting. Watch a group of dogs. It’s pretty easy to spot which two are participating in together, and which dogs are on the outskirts of the interaction, endeavoring to lobby their way in.
