|
|||||||
 |
Day Care Confusion With new dog day care centers popping up all over the place, deciding where to take your furry baby can be confusing, and even overwhelming. The day care center you pick has a big influence on the health and well being of your dog. Class student Angela Lijewski recently wrote to us and said, "We had wanted to bring him to Trainer's before, but it was so far out of the way... now I wish we would have. But better late than never." Angela had been taking her Olde English Bulldog, Cooper (pictured on the left), to a day care that was more conveniently located near her house. "I didn't really like the director lady from the beginning, but just thought, oh well, he likes it," she said. Unfortunately, Angela's suspicions were right on the mark. She recently wrote to us and told us that this other day care had recently had their "third strike." Angela received a phone call that Cooper had tried to bite one of the staff at this day care center. "To make a long story short, I found out they were dragging him around by his collar… they would grab on and pull him around (he goes in to a sit-like position)," said Angela. "Of course, Cooper wasn't happy and was trying to bite her so she called me. She didn't explain it that way on the phone but she `demonstrated' to me what was happening when I got there.... I was so mad." Luckily, Angela pulled Cooper from this environment before any more damage could be done. She had recently graduated from Trainers Academy's puppy and intermediate training programs, so she immediately registered him to start coming to us for daycare too. "We're doing what we should have done and are coming to you! When I called today, whoever I talked to was wonderful," said Angela. "Even if I didn't know you or the place, I definitely would not have had any doubts bringing my dog there." Because our day care policy reflects our classroom teachings, we don't use any techniques that may compromise a dogs' well being… such as dragging them by their collar (which only instills fear, and creates mistrust). "It's sad that so many of these dog day care places are popping up that have people with so little knowledge or experience - or not enough or the right kind - running them," said Trainers Academy, LLC owner, Lisa (Laney) Patrona, CPDT-KA. "We've had several reports from students and daycare clients that have had similar issues in such places too - some even having their dogs get into fights - yikes!" Many people contact us because they are interested in starting a dog daycare of their own, simply because they love dogs. While we can certainly appreciate the passion, it takes more than love to manage dogs correctly and effectively. Just one bad experience (such as a correction or dog fight) can have a lasting effect on a dog. With so many dog day care centers to choose from these days, how do you decide which environment is right for your dog? Do your research! Be sure to visit the facility, and talk with staff. Ask them about their knowledge of dog behavior. How did they learn about dog behavior? Have they interned with a dog trainer, or do they have a trainer on staff? What methods do they use to train dogs? Don't be seduced by the look of a facility. The trend these days is to have "themed" daycares with cute décor…all of which is nice and very appealing to a human, but has nothing to do with the knowledge and experience level of the staff, which makes all the difference! Another popular trend is the "crate-less" day care center. While appealing to some humans, there are many very good reasons to choose a center that crates between walks and playgroup - the first being safety. Just like people, not all dogs will get along with every other dog they meet all the time. We have had several clients transfer to us after their dog was in a fight at a crate-less center, despite pre-screening and acceptance into the environment as a dog that would "get along well". Another reason we feel that some crating throughout the day is important is because it helps your dog get rid of even more energy… sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? But think about it this way, if your dog is out all day, he won't play as hard as if he'd had rest periods in between, and it's that good hard play that allows us to send home tired dogs – and a tired dog is a good dog! One other important thing to think about is structure, and your dogs' ability to be comfortable in a crate. This may help him feel better about the experience if he had to be crated while at a kennel or boarding facility, or during a stay at the veterinary hospital. Day care should be more than just fun for your dog; it should help make him a better companion too, which is why the staff at Trainers Academy takes the time to reinforce your dog for mannerly behaviors, and will answer questions for you if you're having trouble with Fido's behavior at home too. Trainers Academy, LLC Daycare was one of the first dog day care centers in the country (previously under the name Yuppy Puppy). Our behavioral knowledge gives us the ability to properly coordinate and manage playgroups so that conflicts don't occur. Creating well-organized playgroups ensures that your dog will be properly matched with playmates according to his or her temperament, so that they have the safest, and best time possible! If you are in the Metro-Detroit area, feel free to drop in and visit. If you are outside the Metro area, feel free to contact us for tips on what to look for when selecting a good quality day care facility. Sign up to receive Woofology's Tip of Week via email: woofologist@yahoo.com |
||||||
