Pet education and your ability to make well-informed decisions about your pets or future pets is the starting foundation toward achieving everyone’s goals. And in doing so, Pet Pals maximizes the value for you and our ability to be here for you in the way you need us at every step of your pet journey.
Please enjoy this ongoing series at no cost to you and no membership requirements.
Pet Pal Keli is an experienced mentor, Fear Free trained and certified, and positive reinforcement advocate. She is a native mentor, pet sitter, and dog walker with more than 15 years of working experience in the industry.
It’s Pet Sitter’s week y’all! So, let’s kick it off by tackling the number one question many pet owners have, “How do I know if my dog would do better in a kennel, going to doggie daycare, or having you (a Pet Sitter) come over?” That’s right let’s go directly at it. There’s no reason to shy away from it and better still, I’ll save everyone the sales pitch and just talk facts. And before I forget, be sure to keep checking back, because we’ll have more hard questions through the week.
So, do some dogs thrive with daycare? Yes. Do some dogs need a kenneling environment as a last resort? Maybe. Still, these are typically not the best option when thinking from your dog’s perspective and for some dogs, they are not even a good option. Dogs who are stressed or get stressed easily, anxious, reactive, immunocompromised, thrive on routine, need to empty their bladder frequently, or otherwise struggle with interactions with other dogs are just some examples of dogs that are not good candidates for daycare and/or kenneling environments.
Those examples aside, doggy daycare in general isn’t without risks. Remember, that dogs enjoy “their turf” and their consistent routine that makes them feel comfortable and confident. Some dogs will be too overwhelmed and overstimulated in a daycare environment. And a daycare’s environment of heightened mental and emotional overstimulation can lead to conflict between dogs. Many daycares too structure their service toward exhaustion, which can lead to physical injuries and/or undesired behaviors. Remember, we want our dogs appropriately stimulated and exercised to build their mental and physical health. That requires action and active thought toward your specific dog and not overstimulation and exhaustion.
I’ve read a doggie daycare worker say that dropping a dog off at daycare is like stepping into the heart of Disney World. There are many new noises, smells, sights, textures, people, and dogs. Even dogs attending daycare on a regular and consistent basis will regularly and consistently experience new people and dogs; some of which may be amazing and others maybe not so amazing or worse. By the way, reading that Disney World bit made my mind wander and wonder if doggie daycare is like Disney World, then is a kennel like a penitentiary…but lets not get sidetracked here. That’s maybe for another conversation.
Still, there’s also a high risk of dogs learning challenging or reactive behaviors from other dogs or people at daycare or kennels. Whether it’s constant barking or other noises, scratching, aggression, a sudden need to be protective, or more. The more time your dog spends in an unfamiliar environment, with people that may use different commands and/or take different approaches toward redirection and controlling situations; and the more time your dog spends with random other dogs displaying various behaviors, the higher the likelihood that there will be negative results. Side note, if you believe your dog enjoys “socializing”, but they tend to resource guard; it’s best to avoid daycares and kenneling environments all together as this behavior is high risk to instigate fights. Despite the high risk for negative results, unless you are paying extra for specific training, daycares and kennels won’t socialize or re-socialize your dog or other’s dogs. Even if a dog is not a good candidate for their environment, but meets their standards to attend, there they are in. So it’s important to remember that daycare and kenneling environments are not for every dog.
If your dog enjoys playing with dogs but is a bit selective, you have options! Think in terms of what you’d do and/or want for your human children and/or what was preferred in your childhood. Is it better to toss them into random groups or better for your dog to interact with a select few that you and they know and trust? Thus, scheduling play visits with one or two other dog friends is a fantastic option. Choose dog friends that you know your dog gets along well with and can truly build bonds and relationships with over time. In terms of location, think again about what works well for your human children and/or what provided more meaningful experience when you were a child. While playland can be fun, everyone feels most comfortable and relaxed at their home. Those feelings bring higher chances for successful socializing. So arrange for these play dates to be at your home, but not only for your dog’s sake. Remember that at your home, you are most in control and have awareness of what is going on with your dog.
Ok, so you can handle socializing your dog with other dogs when you have time, but what about your dog’s stimulation and exercise when you are working or on vacation? Hire Pet Pals. Hire a dog walker or dog sitter experienced in your dog, focused on what’s best for your dog, and consistent with how you communicate with your dog. Pet Pals will visit your dog during the day or while you are on vacation. This is a great option that gives your dog the attention and exercise they need during the day. For some dogs, this might look like a long afternoon walk, and for others a quick trip out to potty. Then some casual hangout or cuddle time with the sitter.
Pet Pals Bark & Learn Series, born out of Pet Pals’ philosophy and strong commitment to give back to our Community and help build strong Pet/Human relationships in a free educational service. The Series covers a wide range of pet related topics to demystify topics not commonly known, debunk myths routinely spread about certain pets/breeds/etc., provide simple and relevant behavioral tips, and so much more. Pet Pals Bark & Learn is here to help you free of charge, our community and assist people in living the lives they want while having the loved, well cared for, and well-behaved pets they deserve! Your Pet Will Thank You!