How to Know If Doggy Day Care is Right for Your Dog
I’d say 30-40 percent of dogs don’t enjoy playing with other dogs. Shocking, right? It’s true. If your dog doesn’t like to play with other dogs, it’s okay. Yes, it’s totally normal. Not all humans enjoy hanging out with a large group of people, especially rowdy young ones so why should our dogs? 🙂
Wild dogs certainly don’t play in large groups. They have friends and that’s it. If someone is rude, that person is kicked out, which doesn’t always happen in doggy day care.
Signs Your Dog May Not Like Doggy Day Care
Dog is Fearful Around Other Dogs
If your dog runs away, hides, folds ears back, tucks tail or acts generally afraid of other dogs, then doggy day care is not for him. Throwing your dog into a group of playing dogs won’t help. It’ll make it worse. I see the repercussions daily. If this happens, scared dogs will usually sit away from the playing dogs and freeze (look away and become terrified) if a dog approaches.
If dogs continue to approach and pester a scared dog, he’ll learn to fight. He is freaked out and trying to defend himself (offensive aggression). If you were afraid of snakes and were thrown into a pit filled with slithering snakes, I don’t think it would help you overcome your fear. It would make it worse. It’s the same thing with dogs so don’t force them.
RELATED: Dog Aggression
Dog Acts Aggressively Around Other Dogs
“My dog is fine with other dogs during day care, but lunges and acts aggressively with other dogs everywhere else.” Oh boy, I hear this a lot from pet parents. During behavioral consults to address their dog’s aggression toward dogs, I see a frightened dog that’s learned offensive aggression to mean: “I better get them before they get me” (defensive aggression). Yes, this was probably learned during doggy day care.
Understand aggression is a symptom of anxiety. If a dog can’t get away, he will either freeze or fight. The same happens with us–remember the snake pit? 🙂
Is This Your Dog?
Don’t beat yourself up. You do better once you know better. Pull up your bobby socks and enroll in a relaxed rover class, which addresses fearful and aggression behaviors around other dogs. Now, find an excellent pet sitter for leash walks and potty breaks.
READ MORE: Dog Day Care Interview Questions
I really like how you said that, “If dogs continue to approach and pester a scared dog, he’ll learn to fight. He is freaked out and trying to defend himself .” A lot of people don’t realize that not all pets are going to like interaction with other dogs. I know my dog personally had a very hard time adjusting to pet day care. I finally had to pull him out because he became very aggressive over time. Is there a way for me to train my dog to get along with other dogs?
Thank you for doing the right thing for your dog- BRAVO!!!! I wish more pet parents did the same thing. Your dog probably learned to act aggressively when approached by other dogs, this could be his trigger. Now, it’s time to teach him that dogs will NOT approach him, so never allow leashed or off leash greetings-ever. Also, you need to teach him how to react differently when he sees a dog. Many professional dog training centers offer “Relaxed Rover” or “Growly Dog Classes” that focuses on these two principles. Make sure, whichever class you choose, this dog trainer has lots of experience and uses positive reinforcement (no punishment, no choke/ pinch/ electronic collars) and focuses on rewarding good behaviors (looking away from a dog) instead of punishing (staring/lunging/growling) old behaviors. Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes, and keep spreading this message- NOT ALL DOGS WANT TO MEET OTHER DOGS. 🙂
My dog sometimes shows fear when around strangers, but we are leaving for an extended period of time and need day care. I liked the advice you offer about enrolling him in rover care so he might adjust. Would play dates with other dogs improve this situation? Thank you.
Hi Linda!
If your dog is afraid of other dogs, than play dates with other dogs will not help. Maybe think about having a pet sitter stay in your home while you’re away. Or board your dog at a kennel that works your dog instead of offers doggie daycare. If your dog is afraid of strangers, then positive introduce (with lots of high value treats) your dog to their kennel assist before you leave, and ask this kennel assist to do the same when they are away. Hope this helps and safe travels!