Doggy Dayschool: A Guide to Being the Teacher’s Pet

Daycare days are no longer limited to just running out the morning zoomies and wrestling with a best puppy pal. We are now incorporating a whole series of new activities for your pups to participate in. From group obedience training to obstacles and nose games, there’s sure to be something at Doggy Dayschool to get your dog to join in on more fun that ever!

Below is just a sampling of some of the activities we are incorporating in our new Dayschool curriculum:

 Group Obedience

When the total number of dogs in daycare is reduced by rotating in nap times, we can safely and effectively work on obedience training in smaller groups. Group sits, downs, and attention behaviors are important. Simon Says, To Your Place, and Red Rover games are a fun way to reinforce these important behaviors.

Self-control behaviors like Leave It and Wait (especially among distractions!) are life-saving skills that we will work on during group obedience games. By working with the dogs in small groups, we can teach them to wait their turn, follow through on behaviors, and focus in a distracting environment.

Agility and Obstacles

Using equipment like agility structures and obstacles helps the dogs learn how to follow instruction and navigate a changing environment. Targeting to a station, following the trainer’s lead, or learning to trust their balance are all part of the experience. For some dogs, the simple novelty of the item can be part of the fun!

Stringing together cues to form a complicated behavior is not only mentally exhausting (and, therefore, physically exhausting), it’s also a fun party trick!

Puzzles and Nose Games

For those pups that need a little problem-solving to keep their minds active and focused, we have food-dispensing toys and puzzle games that encourage perseverance, patience, curiosity, creativity, and a keen nose to win!

Staff will encourage dogs to search out their own reward (and maybe coax them in the right direction now and again), teaching them the value of independent play and keeping their minds on task for a duration of time.

Trick Training

Pet parents have the option of asking us to work on teaching their dog a new trick. You can leave it up to us as to what they may learn, or request a specific behavior. Results cannot be guaranteed, but we will work with them to try and learn the new trick as well as reinforce other behaviors.

Some of the tricks we’ve already had success with include Wave, Shake, Sit Pretty, and Spin. Other fun tricks we can work on include Bang Bang (you’re “dead”), Rollover, Whisper, and walk backwards.

Loose Leash Walk ‘n Train

Throughout the day, dogs will be worked with to learn and reinforce loose leash walking manners as well as working on-lead and in distracting situations. Although some of our doggy clients already get potty walks, not everyone has the best manners on leash! Taking dogs out during the day not only gives them a change in scenery (and smells), but also the opportunity to work on their leash manners and listening skills.

On days of inclement weather and for those just starting out in training, we have a secure hallway space to work with the dogs indoors.