Our Approach to Dog Compatibility

At Dog’s Day, we understand that not all dogs are a good match for our environment. While we strive to create a social and welcoming atmosphere for dogs (and their parents), it’s essential that our dog guests enjoy being around other dogs or, at the very least, feel comfortable in their presence.

Not All Dogs Are Equally Social

Contrary to the popular belief that all dogs can simply be “socialized” to make them comfortable in all social settings, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Some dogs, due to their innate social “wiring”, simply don’t thrive in large group settings, regardless of how much socialization they receive. While the right positive exposures can help, sometimes certain social environments can be a bridge to far for naturally shy dogs. And that’s perfectly okay!  We recognize that there are better care options available for these dogs.

Aggression and Reactivity

For obvious safety reasons, we cannot accommodate dogs that display aggression toward other dogs or people. Sometimes, growls or other “aggressive” signs are not indicative of an aggressive dog. In fact, communicating boundaries through growls or snaps is both common and healthy in some situations. Inappropriate behaviors include:

• Bullying/dominance/intimidation, where other dogs feel unsafe,
• Guarding of resources that are shared in a social environment (e.g., sleeping spaces, water bowls, toys, etc),
• Excessive or unsafe Reactivity

It should be mentioned that many dogs can display aggression or reactivity in their own homes or on leash with their parents, but do not have those same triggers here at Dog’s Day. We can explore this more during our evaluation visit.

Situational Behavior

Every dog’s behavior is situational, and what works well in one environment may not in another. We prioritize communication so that pet parents have a good understanding of how their pup is settling in and if there are any challenges or concerns. Our priority is the safety and happiness of all dogs, so if we’re not the right fit, we’ll work with you to find a more suitable environment.

Experienced Staff

Rest assured, our staff members undergo rigorous canine body language training. Many of them have 5-10+ years of experience working with dogs in group settings.

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

Our Approach to Dog Care: No “Crate & Rotate”

Unlike many “crate & rotate” facilities that keep dogs in crates or kennels for some or most of the day, and usually for the entire night, we take a different approach at Dog’s Day. While we don’t necessarily disagree with the kennel-based model—since it’s often the only practical solution for some dogs—we believe that confinement and isolation can cause stress for many dogs.

Many dogs tend to thrive in an environment like ours, where they are not confined or isolated, and have 24/7 human companionship. However, this approach does come with challenges because we have limitations when it comes to separating dogs.

Some factors may preclude a dog from being a good fit for Dog’s Day, either initially or over the long term. These factors might not be immediately apparent and could develop weeks, months, or even years after successful experiences at our facility. Breed characteristics, latent drives, and maturation can all play a role. As a dog parent, you might not even be aware of these specific traits or behavior tendencies, as they may be unique to our environment.

As a cage-free facility, every day is a new day to reassess behavior, and we communicate any changes that we observe. Sometimes, previously unseen behaviors such as aggression, newly emerging innate drives, anxieties, etc., may warrant dismissal.

It is important to recognize that these are not “bad dogs”–these otherwise sweet dogs simply have needs that we cannot meet or behaviors that we cannot manage due to our unique cage-free approach.

Here are some behaviors or conditions that are not a good fit here:

• 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 hormone/chemical/pheromone/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. Unfortunately, there has been very little research on the subject. Some possible theories include…Excess estrogen, a combination in chemicals in urine (acetophenone and dithiapentane), diet, and/or an increased level of Alpha-MSH hormone (a sex hormone) Sadly, our cage free environment is just not suitable for a dog with this “scent”.
• Dogs over 110lbs. As a cage-free daycare and boarding facility, we ensure that all dogs, regardless of size, interact freely throughout the day and night. To maintain a safe environment for all our guests, we have set a weight limit of 110 pounds for the dogs we accept. This decision is based solely on safety considerations:
  • 1. **Size Mismatch Concerns:** While we typically have a separate little dog group during the daytime, during overnight stays, large and small dogs are not separated (as we are 100% cage/kennel/crate-free). To minimize the risk of size mismatches that could lead to unintended accidents or injuries, we limit the size of the dogs we accept.
  • 2. **Handling Safety:** For very large dogs, it may be challenging for our staff to safely manage them in the event of an emergency or unexpected situation. This policy helps ensure that all dogs can be handled safely by our team.

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, or we can schedule an evaluation visit!