Our aim, is to ensure that your dog is comfortable and happy here at Dog’s Day!

That being said, we are not a good fit for all dogs. Because our environment is a social one, dog-wise and human-wise, it is very important that our dog guests innately enjoy being around other dogs, or at least comfortable with them.

Aren’t all dogs “social animals” that need to be around other dogs? Don’t I just need to socialize my shy dog? There is no straight forward answer to these questions. There are many dogs that, whether by nature or nurture, are simply not comfortable around a large group of dogs, no matter how much you “socialize” them and this is OKAY! There are far better care options for those dogs.

For obvious reasons, we cannot take dogs that are aggressive towards other dogs and people or dogs that have a history of biting another dog or human. The most common type of aggression is known as reactivity. Reactivity is a broad term that refers to dogs that overreact to certain stimuli (e.g. other dogs, UPS truck, new people, etc.). Read below for more about reactivity and dogs that are not well-suited for our environment.

In addition, often times, when we communicate that we may not be the best fit for a dog, parents will have trouble understanding since either they haven’t seen the behaviors themselves, or the behaviors described have never been communicated to them from other daycare or boarding facilities.  This can be due to a number of reasons. Everything with dogs is situational, so one environment may work well for a dog, and another may bring out behaviors not previously noticed before, but since safety and the comfort/happiness of dogs is of utmost importance, we cannot allow behaviors that affect others, so we will communicate with you to help find a more suitable environment for your dog if we are not the best fit.  All of our staff go through canine body language training and many here have 5-10+ years of experience when working with dogs in groups.

Our boarding and daycare environment is unique in that we do not use crates or kennels at any time.

Most facilities (including “daycares”) keep dogs in kennels for most of the day and let them out for very short play sessions. We call that a “Crate & Rotate” style facility. We don’t do that here at Dog’s Day. We don’t necessarily disagree with that approach to caring for dogs, as it is often the only feasible way to do so (depending on many factors, including regulations, business model, restrictions on temperament, and facility size and accommodations). We just believe that often times, kennels and confinement can cause stress for many dogs, and that many dogs tend to thrive in an environment like ours. Unfortunately, this comes with some challenges since we are limited in our ability to separate dogs.

Below are some factors that may preclude a dog from being a good candidate for Dog’s Day either at the start or long term. Sometimes these factors are not immediately present and may develop weeks, months or even years after success at Dog’s Day for various reasons (i.e. becoming more comfortable, maturing, breed characteristics and latent drives emerging). Often times, you as a dog parent aren’t even aware that your dog has these traits/behavior tendencies because they may be specific to our environment. These situations are just too difficult for us to manage here with our limited ability to separate dogs. We end up spending too much time focusing on that one particular dog rather that the safety and comfort of the group as a whole. We are always honest and will communicate any issues to you as we see them. We do try to do all communicating of issues by text so that we have a record for all staff to reference. If anything is ever unclear, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Being cage-free, we take all issues one visit at a time. We will do our best to let you know if your dog’s behavior has become too challenging and if you will need to find alternative care for him or her. On occasion (due to fights, bites, newly emerging innate drives, anxieties, etc.) decisions like these may come without much warning if any, but we must keep the safety and comfort of all dogs as our #1 priority.

It is important to point out that these are not “bad dogs”–they are simply dogs!

But they are dogs that require a specific care approach that we are not able to provide. We are always happy to help when possible to offer suggestions for an alternative approach to care.

• Dogs that are not comfortable in our social environment and show fear and/or anxiety. A dog that is anxious and/or fearful is much more likely to bite. We want dogs to be happy here as do you, their parents. Dogs should not be forced to fit into situations that they are clearly telling us are too much for them. These dogs do best with a pet sitter caring for your dog in your home. We are with the dogs here 24 hours a day, but on occasion, a dog may be separated from a human momentarily by a gate. Some dogs get extremely anxious in these scenarios (barking/whining/scratching etc.) and this unfortunately is unmanageable here at Dog’s Day. Here are some other common reasons for fear and anxiety.
  • A personality/temperament that seems to be naturally prone to anxiety.
  • Discomfort around playful dogs or just dogs in general
  • Anxiety when separated from their owners or home
  • Fear of people or easily startled
• Intact (not spayed) females over the age of 6 months, or unneutered males over the age of 8 months. This has been a controversial issue in recent years due to recommendations by some veterinarians to wait until a female’s 1st heat and/or at least 1 year of age. We do not by any means disagree with their recommendations. However, dog parents should understand that important socialization will likely be limited for that dog as most facilities do not accept intact dogs unless they are individually kenneled. In our environment, at the above mentioned ages, intact males and females often unintentionally create an unsafe environment for themselves as well as the group as a whole as a result of hormonal changes, which both the behavior of the intact dog, and the way other dogs respond to those behaviors, or even just the pheromones. For males, there are often social challenges that can develop earlier than 8 months in which case we will communicate to you and let you know if these behaviors are too difficult to manage and are creating a serious risk. We can then attempt to resume visits after neutering.
• Dogs that are too “high-wired” (over-stimulated). There is a misconception that with more space and open fields, an over-stimulated dog will be more comfortable and thrive. However, this is not often the case. Our large fields and spaces can often cause higher arousal than a facility with smaller spaces. Some dogs don’t seem to have an “off switch”, and are unable to self-regulate play and/or rest. While these dogs may appear to be happy and having fun, they are exhibiting signs of stress (excessive barking during play and/or during rest times, not reading signals and being too persistent with play, playing too rough, overly aroused during periods of chase). This creates not only a management issue on the part of the staff, but also a safety issue for the over-stimulated dog as well as our other guests. Over-stimulated dogs can often be unable to settle down and rest in our environment which makes for an over-tired, over-stimulated dog that can get on the nerves of others in the group, leading to an entire group of cranky, snappy dogs (and the humans that sleep with them overnight at Dog’s Day). This is another one of our most common issues that preclude a dog from being a good fit at Dog’s Day. Dogs with personalities like this do much better in a crate and rotate style facility or one that offers very small groups of 2-5 dogs.
• Dogs that have difficulty reading signals/language from other dogs. These dogs are generally trying to play, mount, are in the face of other dogs or provoking dogs, despite being given clear signals that the behavior is not welcome. When the signals are not headed, it puts the offending dog at a very high risk of getting into a scuffle and receiving a bite. In addition, these dogs that are not following the unspoken rules of etiquette make for a not-so-fun environment for the dogs on the receiving end.
• Overly excitable (over-stimulated) dogs that have a difficult time knowing when to take the play down a notch. These are also dogs that are not reading signals but also get so ramped up during play that it often escalates into a scuffle or worse. Like human children playing rough…one hits a little too hard and suddenly play becomes a fight. Dogs are very similar, only their communication is less obvious to us humans. They will be playing and having a grand ole time one minute and the next, they’re fighting. There is a certain sense of fairness and etiquette amongst dogs, just like with people. The dogs that can’t seem to regulate their level of play, and always seem to be game to bring it to the next level, generally steamroll right through this accepted etiquette and sense of fair play. Other dogs have no choice but to try to correct the behavior, which only excites the overly excitable even more, and this sparks a fight. This behavior creates a very unsafe and stressful environment for the dogs as well as for the staff. This is another one of our most common issues that preclude a dog from being a good fit at Dog’s Day. Dogs with personalities like this do much better in a crate and rotate style facility or one that offers very small groups of 2-5 dogs.
• Dogs that guard (Resource Guarding). Some dogs feel the need to guard their resources. This can be anything…food, humans, toys, space, dog beds, rocks, sticks, etc. These dogs will give warnings, snap or even bite a dog or human that approaches their resource. Guarding space, humans, rocks, sticks, toys, water and things we can’t take away from the whole group or off of the property will not fit in at Dog’s Day. Resource guarding sometimes does not emerge until after a dog has had several visits and become more confident in our environment. These dogs would be better suited with a pet sitter in their own home or being cared for in a home with no other dogs.
  • Note about guarding of gates and doorways-This is a common issue that often results in dismissal at Dog’s Day. Gate guarders stand by doorways and gates and when one opens, they rush through and turn around to snap and lunge at the rest of the dogs coming through. When they do this to a dog that will appropriately stand up for him/herself, it may result in a scuffle.
• Bullying/Dominant Behaviors– The bully actively seeks to assert his/her dominance of other dogs and can become aggressive or attempt to “bully” them into submission. They might even become overly aggressive with timid dogs (if their prey drive kicks in). These dogs sometimes have very rough play styles as well and enjoy slamming and barreling into dogs often times when the other dog least expects it. It is not feasible for us to manage this behavior here and most importantly, it’s simply not fair to our other Dog’s Day guests.
  • The “Regulators”-Similar to bullying/dominant behavior, these are dogs that have an instinct to control the environment. The behaviors associated with this behavior often lead to scuffles. The regulators will jump in and try to stop two happily playing pups by bullying them until they stop playing and then keep them from going back to the play by standing guard and lunging when the pup makes an effort to resume play. Regulators often guard gates as well. Extreme regulators will sometimes actively seek out a fight. When they see an altercation or heightened arousal in other’s play, they are wired to rush in and join.
• Herding instincts and/or a strong prey drive is difficult to manage in group play, especially in group play with lots of outdoor space to chase. We have lots of space to run at Dog’s Day and a dog with a strong prey drive that sees a ball of fluff running through the field can be a dangerous situation. Their instinct is telling them to catch the animal and stop it. Similarly, dogs that herd have very strong instincts but use different tactics. During chase, they will nip at the heels or sides of the running dog. Running dogs and teeth DO NOT mix. Even if it’s not the intention of the herder to cause harm, a tooth can easily catch on a dog’s body as they chase and nip and cause a significant tear that results in the need for veterinary attention. Some herders will get in front of other dogs and us what is called strong eye to stare down the dog. They consistently go to the front or head of the dogs to turn or stop the dog’s movement. Other types of herders will simply bark incessantly. Sadly, in our experience, this is not an issue that is resolved with training. These are breed traits that need to be managed appropriately and we will determine over time and experience with your dog whether or not this is a manageable situation in our environment.
• Dogs that lack bite inhibition are immediately dismissed from Dog’s Day. Bite inhibition in a behavior in dogs whereby the animal learns to moderate the strength of its bite. It is an important factor in the socialization of pets. Dogs play with their mouths and will discipline with their mouths. Dogs will snap at each other on occasion as a way of communicating. The dog that is lacking bite inhibition does not just give the appropriate warning snap, but will actually bite, causing harm. For obvious reasons, we cannot have a dog here that has proven to lack bite inhibition.
• Excessive barking– Barking dogs can be a major stress to other dogs (and humans). Contrary to what most believe, not all dogs bark and most dogs that do bark, only bark occasionally or in specific situations. Dogs that bark to alert our staff of the arrival of a new human, a dangerous situation or a strange sound is completely normal. Excessive barking is an indicator of stress and anxiety. Occasionally dogs bark incessantly during play as well. Any excessive barking for any reason is not allowed at Dog’s Day. We will make several attempts to distract and redirect, but if there is no improvement, we will not be able to accommodate that dog’s needs.
• Excessive marking, urinating or defecating indoors. One of the benefits of our cage-free indoor outdoor environment is that dogs have plenty of opportunities to potty outside. Although some dogs have accidents inside on occasion, we do not allow it to be a regular occurrence because we want to maintain a sanitary environment for dogs and staff. Therefore, if your dog is frequently pottying inside, it may be determined that we are not the best fit for your pup.
• Some dogs with special needs:
  • Dogs with severe food allergies– We use treats (Purina Pro Plan Focus-Salmon Sensitive Stomach Kibble) at various times throughout the day for training purposes and enrichment activities. It is generally a small amount, but we cannot exclude your dog or provide alternative treats for one dog.
  • Dogs with Epilepsy-We have had dogs with Epilepsy do well here in the past. However, there is a great risk to these dogs because in the event of a seizure, other dogs in the group may react inappropriately out of fear. We’ve never seen this happen, but have heard stories of incidents in other facilities in which a dog having a seizure was bitten multiple times due to what we can only assume to be the group’s misinterpretation of the seizing dog’s body language.
  • Blind and deaf dogs are safest in their own environment at home with a pet sitter or in an environment with few dogs. Dogs must be able to read and hear signals from others during group play at Dog’s Day.
  • SOME older dogs may prefer a calmer environment. We have many older that have been social their whole lives and thrive in our group atmosphere. However, others seem to prefer a quiet, calm environment to enjoy their golden years and we will make sure to communicate that to you. We have each dog’s best interests in mind here and will not continue to accept a dog that becomes unhappy at Dog’s Day.
  • Injured dogs or dogs with activity restrictions– Since we are limited in our ability to separate dogs, we cannot limit a dog’s activity. Dogs here need to be able to self-regulate if they have restrictions. Dogs with limitations or special accommodations (i.e. cones, braces, etc.) would be better off staying at home with a pet sitter or in a veterinary boarding facility where they have access to medical care.
• Dogs with the “Everyone Loves Me” scent. On occasion we meet dogs (male or female) that have a scent that mimics a female in heat. Their scent can throw off the group as a whole and create chaos with multiple dogs obsessively mounting and getting involved in scuffles over the desired dog. We do not have an explanation for this other than we think it is just a scent or hormone that the dog gives off. Sadly, our cage free environment is just not suitable for a dog with this “scent”

If you’re unsure about how your dog may do in our environment, fill out the contact form and we can discuss more by email or phone!