AVOIDING DOGGY DAYCARE & DOG PARKS

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO AVOID DAYCARE AND DOG PARKS

Daycare and dog parks unfortunately are what keep trainers in business. The majority of dogs that book behavior mod sessions with me (for aggression, reactivity, destructive behaviors) are dogs that have been exposed to daycare or dog park environments. I urge you to avoid putting your dog in these situations. I would say roughly 20% of the dog population does well in these settings, while the other 80% should either avoid them all together or limit the time they spend there. Utilizing these “socializing tools'' more than twice a week can have some serious negative effects on your dogs behavior. My goal is to inform you of what to look out for, and why these things are frowned upon from a behaviorist standpoint.

WHY

Most people take their dogs here to drain energy or to socialize their dogs. While this might be effective for draining energy, there are better ways to go about this that don’t include draining the owners energy as well (let’s face it, not all of us have the energy to take our dogs for a long run!)

WHAT HAPPENS

What is really going on at daycare or at dog parks?

• Your dog is learning to be overly aroused/excited around other dogs. 

• Your dog can learn bad manners or social skills from other dogs

• You are exposing your dog to diseases and parasites in these environments

• Your relevance is decreased in your dog's eyes (you are no longer the most valuable thing to your dog)

• Provides ample opportunities for them to ignore your recall/leave it commands

• Your dog learns to be fearful of other dogs if they get bullied/attacked or overwhelmed by other dogs in these environments

• Your dog is now at a higher risk of being attacked by another dog (some people take their dogs to dog parks to socialize BECAUSE their dog is aggressive and they think it’ll help)

• Your dog now has an increased risk of leash reactivity (when it passes a dog while walking, its now lunging, barking or over-reacting)

• Your dog now knows that other dogs will invade their personal space even when they're uncomfortable and now it's up to them to do something about it (this mindset can easily turn to aggressive behavior towards other dogs, even with the sweetest happiest dogs)

WHAT TO DO INSTEAD

Did you know that a short training session with your dog is more draining than taking your dog on a long run? If your goal is to drain your dogs energy while you are at work or busy, there are better ways to do this. 

Goal: Draining your dogs energy

Try: Enrichment activities like flirt poles, sniff mats, nose work games, frozen kong treats, etc. 

If your goal is socializing your dog, there are far better ways of doing this where you can protect your dog in the event s/he becomes uncomfortable. Letting your dog know that you have their back is one of the best ways to build a strong bond with them.

Goal: Socializing your dog

Try: Walking your dog with friends or family dogs (keeping them 5 feet apart or more to where they cannot greet each other on leash. Once they've walked 15+ minutes together, allow them time to sniff each other's rear ends if they seem calm enough to do so)

Attending a group training class where there are other dogs and people in a public and controlled setting. This ensures that if your dog does display any sort of behavior that you dont know how to handle, a trainer will be nearby to assist you through the situation. This also helps teach your dog to look to you and focus on you in distracting environments where other dogs are present. 

Pack walks with neighbors. This is a great way to involve yourself in your community and become closer with your neighbors. Pack walks should also be done roughly 6 feet apart from each dog and there should be a mandate on safety equipment used during these walks. Non-slip collars such as martingales or Herm Sprenger prong collars will ensure that the dog doesn't break out of their collar when excited. It's always a good idea to use a safety clip to a secondary collar for back up. I do this anytime I work a dog in public without the owner present. Dogs can 100% slip out of regular flat collars and harnesses, whether you believe it or not. They can and they will if something excites them or scares them. Prioritize your dogs safety during this stage of socializing. 

WHEN

When will I know if its okay to expose my dog to these environments?

If you just got your dog within the past year, it is your responsibility as their guardian to provide them with a safe and secure experience. This time should be spent training and bonding with your dog rather than socializing. Dogs do not NEED friends, they need leadership and someone who will mentally and physically work with them and provide them with food, love and basic necessities.

Once your dog has been through consistent training for more than six months and has been properly socialized (see above), then it may be time to introduce daycare or dog parks.

However, you must keep in mind that these places are DANGEROUS. If you’re not willing to pay extensive vet bills if your dog gets injured or attacked, or contracts a disease or parasite from the other dogs, then keep your dog at home. 

Furthermore, even if your dog is now well trained they can regress immediately in the event of a fight, even if they are not involved in the fight themselves. 

LAST THING

While I like to steer away from comparing dogs to humans, in this instance I think it is important for clarification. Dogs ARE like humans in that they are individual beings. Some dogs prefer to be alone, some dogs are very picky with who they share their space with, and some dogs are extroverts and enjoy playing with other dogs. Get to know your dog, your dogs needs and how to enrich your dogs life through playtime and exercise with YOU before having your dog rely on other dogs for this experience. Once your dog picks up reactive or undesirable behaviors from other dogs or experiences while attending these daycares or parks, it is very time consuming to train them to unlearn these behaviors. 

Everything experience your dog has is tied to an emotion that your dog feels in that environment. Whether it's overexcitement, fear, or frustration they feel when seeing other dogs, this emotion will present itself anytime they see another dog for the duration of the dogs life unless months of training are done to rewire the dogs brain and emotions tied to the event. 

Love your dog by leading them.