While it is true that pictures do tell a story, the social media postings of what your fur kid does each day do not give a full picture of what they have learned in the course of attending our dog daycare. Whether your fur kid has been coming daily, a few times a week, or sporadically for the past few years, or just the last few months, this is the curriculum of their daily activities.
Routines are the core of our days. Consistent expectations reduce the stress of the unknown and a calm quiet environment sets the tone. First potty break ensures that morning structured exercises can be done without the pressure, pun intended, of having to go. Treadmilling and/or packwalking are the first activities every day to not only expel energy, but more importantly, create attention and focus. Packwalking also functions as a lesson in socialization without direct interaction- a united by purpose type of group activity.
Following structured exercise is another potty break, then lunch and naptime. Not many eat lunch but the few who do provide another opportunity for all to learn peaceful coexistence. Feeding is done in the open, but carefully monitored for not just possessiveness or theft, but to protect dietary restrictions as well. The idea of feeding in an open forum is to develop patience for some, confidence for others, and respect of boundaries for all.
Naptime is not only intended to let those who have eaten to have proper digestion, but for the whole room to reach a state of calm before play. It is also yet another group “activity” for all to further practice coexistence. There are a variety of bed options but not an individual one for each fur kid. This is deliberate to encourage sharing and develop personal space bubble broadening. No one is made to nap, they just do as a natural progression of the day. A final potty break then happens before afternoon play begins.
Playtime activities are chosen based on the makeup of the room for the day, with majority interest being the deciding factor. Not all dogs enjoy the same activities, and some dogs are not suitable to play certain games with other pals. The safety of all is just as important as everyone’s enjoyment. Frequently, several activities are initiated in one afternoon in order to appeal to as many of the fur kids as possible. The changing up activities is also an effective way to prevent overexcitement. Frequent breaks are taken during play for the same reason. Overexcitement and/or overtiredness are the most common precipitators to inappropriate behaviour.
Sometimes though, if interactive games like toys or roughhousing are not the desired activity of the day, more individualized activities such as agility, obstacle course and/or search games are implemented. No one has to participate in the afternoon activities, but everyone is urged to at least give things a try. With one of the rules of the room being that no one is segregated at any time, being a spectator on the sidelines is still beneficial participation.
Our daycare days unfold in this manner each day because respect is both given and expected. Respect is the consistent and reciprocal honoring of the rules, boundaries, and limitations of each party by both parties. This doesn’t mean being domineering and intimidating, nor does it mean being permissive and yielding. In the process of taking the time to create true understanding, mutual respect is developed.
With respect, trust is earned, and from trust, two key things are happen. First, from the security of knowing that nothing bad will happen, the dogs are more willing to enter into new situations/try new experiences, even if they are unsure. Second is the resulting desire to please and receive affection. Contrary to popular belief, the desire to please comes from a trusting relationship which then translates to a loving relationship, not necessarily the other way around. The cooperation that exists in the pack comes from this desire to please that requires no other reward other than my approval and love. Hence, through boundaries/structure and exercise, we build relationships based on trust. These are the things your fur kid has learned at dog daycare.