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Daycare
Activities
Need a
pup-sitter for errands, family functions or just a day off from the dog?
Currently
there are an average of 5 daily participants in daycare!
Join the
fun!
Playtime
On this page you will
see Group Play activities (our overnight guests) Daycare, and
Spa day* guests engaged in play
activities. Group Play is only done at the owner's request and
with their permission. Please read
the entire page, there is some important information.
Spa day is a service
we offer to our Day Care clients and Boarding clients who wish to bring
the dog for the day for play and a makeover...There is a different fee
applied to Spa Day guests. Call our office for more information.
A normal part of our
service for overnight guests includes your pet going outdoors into an
individual outdoor area for fresh air, exercise and to relieve
themselves. Anytime it is over 55 degrees they are free to go in and
out as they please, which is the vast majority of the year, those doors are left
open allowing that freedom.
With the popularity of
dog parks and participation in socialization classes at an all time
high, some dogs, not all, have become quite the "social
butterflies". If you would like your dog to participate in group
activity and play time, there are a few requirements.
You must be
candid regarding your pet's personality. He or She must be "social" to
other dogs of either sex. This means your pet has had experience in
group play or has been to puppy classes, obedience classes or dog parks
gaining experience in a social situations. There are some facilities
that assume all pets will get along, until disaster strikes.
In our opinion
Play Group is GREAT, however we recognize that not all dogs can
participate...we cannot stress how important it is for a knowledgeable
person to evaluate your pet. If your pet is dog aggressive and cannot
participate in Group activities that does not mean he/she cannot enjoy
one on one with a handler, just ask, we can accommodate any type of
temperament.
A dog can be seriously injured by improper supervision and mixing of dogs
that should not have been put together. Group Play is not a concept that is
suitable for all pets.
A dog's relationship with other dogs and humans
can be very complex. We have decades of experience getting into
their heads. We evaluate every individual prior to allowing them to participate in
a particular group. If we feel your pet prefers not to participate or by nature cannot participate
in group play we would rather be his or her entertainment, that's ok
with us, we will gladly step up.
Individual or Group
activities are
always supervised by handlers, we are the pack leaders on this property. As the leader
we gain the respect of the dogs. This
insight is both instinctual on the part of the dog and skill we have
learned from years of handling
dogs. We did not learn by trial and error.
Group play consists
of 4-5 dogs, divided into size, energy & age appropriate groups. This
means, an 11 year old dog will not be put into a group with 3 year
olds. They simply will not be compatible. The same is true with large breeds
and small breeds.
In addition,
many dogs have not been exposed to "dog
packs" and will not tolerate the ritual butt sniffing or mounting. That
is a potential problem. That behavior can result in defense mechanisms kicking in.
When a dog goes defensive in a pack situation things can escalate and
get ugly pretty quick.
WHAT WE DO IN GROUP
There are fetch
and chase games, in the summer there is pool time. There are slides and
play structures to climb on, and yes they do go on them! Session times
are determined by weather. If it is nice and the dogs are enjoying
their time, we will leave them out. If it is cold or too warm, times
may be shorter, but more often. Enjoy a few pictures below.
click photos to
enlarge for a better view!
If you do not request
the additional playtime for your pet that does not mean that he/she will
be cooped up or in a cage, our guests have access to their individual
outdoor run several times throughout the day as part of our regular
service.
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