Benefits of Dog Daycare for Puppies
Are you thinking about bringing home a new puppy soon? This blog mini-series is for you! In this post, we go over the benefits of dog daycare for puppies. The puppy in the pictures is Logic, the newest addition to the Zurborg family!
Logic turns three months old
The day Logic turned 12 weeks, his devil side emerged! His previous training and playtime sessions only lasted about an hour. Afterwards, Logic would be totally wiped out and would need to sleep for 3 hours. Those days are long gone! This is a common transition time for puppies.
Logic used to be content chewing on a bone in my lap for an hour. Now, by the time I’m done playing, he’s just warmed up and “nap-time” is a bad word. Our walks down the street and back aren’t nearly enough to tire him out. It’s harder to keep an eye on him, so he’s learned to steal things and take off running with them. The other dogs in the house are getting tired of him, too. My husband and I need to get back to our full time work schedules.
Time for dog daycare
We decided that Logic was more than ready for his first day of dog daycare. It just so happens we know of a couple really great facilities!
On his first day, Logic went through all of the same required processes as any other dog would. He was thoroughly assessed by our front office team and they found he was shy with new people. My husband and I already knew this about him and are so glad that daycare will help him get over his slight fear of strangers!
Logic was then carefully introduced into the small dog room. He was a little nervous at first (small fish in a big pond now). This is totally normal and is to be expected. After he checked out the room and sniffed around a bit, he warmed up!
Logic started off playing hide-and-go-seek under one of the play structures with a French Bulldog puppy named Baxter. Eventually, he was zooming across the room with the rest of the dogs! The best part was that I got to watch the whole thing on our webcams while I was stuck at home recovering from an injury.
Dog daycare is beneficial for all ages, especially for puppies. We’ve mentioned before how important socialization is. The daycare environment offers plenty of different socialization options, including new people, new dogs, and new sights, smells, and sounds. In addition, we offer training options while our Waggers attend daycare!
Dog daycare training options
Logic received a day school lesson while attending daycare. Day school lessons are 30-minute, one-on-one lessons with a certified trainer. I wanted him to practice cues such as sit, down, and touch, as well as receive more personalized socialization. After his lesson with Christine, our Training Manager, he received a nap and then went back into daycare!
While in daycare, Logic participated in our daily Quick Train sessions. Quick Train sessions help our Waggers learn how to come, sit, and stay in the group play environment. These sessions encourage good behaviors, patience, and focus. Through the cameras, I could see him getting braver and braver as the day went on!
All of this playtime and training really tuckered him out. Logic came home and napped for 4 hours straight! After his nap, he was still energetic enough to have his nightly training session at home, but thanks to daycare, he didn’t need any more stimulation than that. We are getting closer to him sleeping through the night now, too.
The best age to start dog daycare at depends on the individual puppy, but when you start to feel frustrated with your puppy or are second guessing your decisions, daycare can bring some much needed relief!
If you have any questions about puppy daycare, feel free to contact us or set up a Meet & Greet appointment!
Thanks for pointing out that doggy daycare gives dogs the opportunity to socialize with both new dogs and new people. My sister recently got a middle aged dog from a shelter, and although he’s a sweetheart to his family he struggles with meeting new people. I’ll definitely give my sister a call to see if she’s considered daycare to help her dog socialize.
I didn’t know that some dog daycare’s offered training sessions. We just bought a new puppy and want to get him house broken as soon as possible. This could be a great option for a few months to get him started on the right paw.
I like what you said about dog daycare being beneficial for dogs of all ages, especially puppies. Finding a place to board dogs that teaches them obedience skills is the ultimate find. If I were to head on vacation anytime soon, I would make a concerted effort to find the best boarding service in my area.
I appreciate that this post mentioned that when planning to have our pets boarded, it is important for us to ensure that the center hires experienced people. The other day my sister mentioned she needs to have her dog boarded while she is away. I will remind her to ensure that the center offers professional service and trusted staff.
My cousin has been thinking about going on a vacation, but needs a place to keep her puppy. She would really like to get some help from a professional to make sure that they are safe. Thanks for explaining the options for training during daycare.
I didn’t know that some dog daycare facilities offer school lessons for training. My wife and I are thinking of getting a puppy this year, but because we both work, we will have little time trying to train our dog. We will look for a daycare facility where our dog can be trained.
You should work with a qualified behavior consultant to help you design a management and training plan for your specific situation.
My dog has anxiety around strangers. So maybe I’ll take him to daycare too. Then he wouldn’t be as nervous at the dog park.
I really like how you mentioned that dog daycare can help you keep them in check at all times even when you’re away. Something like that could indeed be beneficial for us since our dog is always seeking attention whenever it can. I’ll remember to look for a dog boarding facility like that if ever we need to go on a long vacation.
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