A Dog’s Perspective: 7 Benefits of Doggy Daycare

From our experience, about 98% of family dogs do well in dog-dog group play at doggy daycare. We see the other end of the leash, off-leash, and without parents nearby. So the dog is completely free to be independent, explorative and blossom on their own. Off-leash in dog-dog group play means your dog is free to make their own choices. They can still make good or bad choices and we are there to supervise and guide them. We help them choose good choices to be a fun member of the pack and respectful of other dogs.

IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR DOG’S SELF-WORTH

Adventures boost endorphins, bring excitement, improve our mood, and make us live longer. They mean a more enriched life. Adventures found in doggy daycare include the new welcoming faces in the lobby. Additionally, the cheerful spirit of workers who monitor play and the interactions between dogs. Our workers help to ensure everyone is fitting in and having a good experience. At Happy Pets Palace, we want each dog to experience doggy daycare based on their individual preferences. All dogs have unique personalities and quirks, just like humans. We know our doggy daycare regulars and learn what dogs enjoy so we can keep them amused and safely entertained.

IT’S A GREAT FORM OF EXERCISE

Dogs like to run, chase, jump, follow the leader, wrestle, body-slam, perform mid-air water ballet, and splash in the pool. Their movements can be hurried and directions often unpredictable. Sometimes the workers must grasp nearby fences because dogs can run in-between legs quickly and change direction on a dime. Some breeds are specifically bred to calculate and predict movement patterns. The doggy daycare environment has several moving objects which can trigger “game-on” and the brain waves start churning. Daycare provides mental stimulation, which is also a benefit for dogs. A great analogy is comparing doggy daycare to a sporting event like a football game. Doggy daycare provides entertainment for both the athletes on the field and the fans in the stadium. Every dog is tuned-in whether physically or mentally engaged or both. So, whether actively engaged in play or watching from the sidelines, they all enjoy being part of the pack.

NEW FACES, PLACES TO GO, PEOPLE TO SEE, THINGS TO DO

Dogs are pack animals. They love to speak their own language to their own kind and multiple dogs will engage in a social setting. Dogs learn social etiquette at a very young age starting with their own littermates and their mother. Puppy socializing helps teach social skills and manners to help them co-exist in the dog world.

Monitored doggy daycare provides your dog(s) a setting where they can be with their own. Around 98% of dogs enjoy the pack environment and active group play atmosphere until they become senior dogs. Senior dogs still enjoy outings, just in shorter time spans because of their age.  Senior dogs’ entertainment comes from watching other dogs be goofy and be pet during the day. Doggy daycare reduces isolation and gets dogs out and about, which is very fulfilling for your dog.

Some dogs not frequently exposed to dog group settings at an early age don’t learn appropriate or safe group play. Those dogs are often unable to learn that skill set later without a very experienced handler. This is sad for us to see but is sometimes reality. Doggy daycare is not the right environment for every dog. However, many dogs do well with group play if dog socializing was presented at an early age.

BREAKS THE BOREDOM OF SAME OL’, SAME OL’

There is a magical transformation in a dog’s face who has been “chosen to go” versus being “left behind.” It is a night and day transformation of facial expressions and body language. Dogs do experience depression, sadness, and grief. The sad look of being left behind makes us feel guilty. You know the look I’m talking about. It’s that look they give us before we apologize to them – out loud – for having to leave them home again. Whatever our reason is, it doesn’t matter to our dog. All they know is they are staying home again. Boring.

Chosen-to-go is the look of love, joy, acceptance, being included, and over-the-top enthusiastic happiness. It encompasses the good intentions we promised when we first got our dog. Although dogs enjoy routines and familiarity, they also love the smallest wonders that they get from a change in routine. And a walk can help bring that small excitement. But having dog friends exponentially fills the heart with love and euphoria.

We hear repeatedly how excited dogs get when they’re going to doggy daycare, school, or to see their friends. The dogs know. The parents also feel happy knowing their dog is happy and able to play. Doggy daycare provides happiness because it gets the dogs out of the house for a while to experience new things.

THE TEMPTATION OF DESTROYING SOMETHING AT HOME IS DIVERTED

When dogs get bored, they dig and chew, making their own entertainment. They can only sleep so many hours in a day and then something else has to happen. And we’re not talking about breakfast, lunch, or dinner being the something else. We are talking about some type of interaction outside of meal times. When dogs, especially dogs younger than two-years-old, don’t get interaction or brain-stimulation, they crave to create their own entertainment. This usually includes destroying something by dissecting it, like a puzzle in reverse. Oh my gosh…what FUN!!! Dogs will destroy landscaping, sprinkler heads, furniture, baseboards, walls, trash cans, shoes, and clothing. Those items can be great entertainment for your dog, but also expensive items to repair or replace. So of course, one of the benefits of doggy daycare means your home and personal items will remain in one piece while you’re away because your dog will be playing with friends at daycare. And daycare dogs come home tired and satisfied so you can enjoy a peaceful restful moment cuddling with your fur baby.

YOUR DOG DOESN’T HAVE TO FEEL LIKE AN ONLY CHILD

One of the most common reasons owners choose to bring their dog to daycare is so they can be around other dogs. People want their dogs to socialize and have other dog friends. We like being able to take our dog with us on outings and activities and it helps when our dog gets along with other dogs. Supervised doggy daycare is the perfect place for your dog to be introduced to other dogs safely. At Happy Pets Palace, we have a five-step prescreening process so the dogs who do play with other dogs are safe and appropriate to include in our dog-dog group play environment. Doggy daycare allows one-dog-households to have their dog spend energy in a way the dog understands, with other dogs.

THE OTHER ANIMALS AT HOME GET A BREAK

If the other pets at home are senior dog(s) or cats, every now and then (for instance, two or three times a month) it is wonderful for those other pets to get a break from their canine sibling. And in this case, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Siblings may act annoyed with the daily presence of their canine family friend, so an outing away gives family members time to appreciate the void or emptiness when the pup goes to daycare. We can almost guarantee that there will be a happy reunion when doggy daycare is done and the family is rejoined at the end of the day. The canine sibling will be tired out after doggy daycare which will make everyone in the household say, “wow, what a great dog.”

A SIDENOTE ON DOG SIBLINGS AND CO-DEPENDENCY

Some people have more than one dog at home and bring them all to daycare. Just like human siblings have friends outside of the home circle, same with dogs. They too like to have a larger pack of friends which includes other dogs besides their own canine brother or sister. It is good for dogs from the same family to not become too dependent on their canine sibling. That can lead to unhealthy conditions of anxiety or co-dependency. If bringing two dogs from the same family to Happy Pets Palace, and if the siblings are co-dependent, we can work to improve each dog’s confidence to become more independent.

CONCLUSION

Doggy daycare provides mental and physical forms of enrichment. Your dog is included and part of the pack. Like they have a purpose and somewhere to be. Daycare helps your dog be easier to live with because their energy is spent during daycare in a safe and supervised environment. You will see an obvious transformation on your dog’s face when they know they are going to doggy daycare. Their excitement will be apparent. Most dogs race to the door to get inside the Happy Pets Palace building. They know the doggy daycare experience is loaded with fun, plenty of friends, and love.