There are several benefits of Doggy Day Care. Here’s what I consider to be the most important benefits for your dog.
- A tired dog is a happy dog. And, or course, a tired dog is less likely to get into trouble! D
oggy day care is a great outlet for their energy and it is both mentally and physically stimulating. Dogs get to run and play for a long time so they come home exhausted and happy. - Dogs learn how to behave around other dogs and develop “good doggy manners.” This one is especially important if your dog isn’t exposed to other well behaved dogs. Good doggy manners include learning to read the signals or behavior of other dogs and that helps them know who to approach and who to avoid. Dogs also learn how to approach other dogs (rushing up and violating another dog’s personal space is very rude in the dog world). All this comes in handy in other situations such as the daily dog walk.
- Dogs learn how to play with other dogs. If you have ever watched dogs play, it is like watching a well choreographed dance. There’s the approach, then the play bow which can lead to a fun game of chase or wrestling. A lot of information is communicated during play including when to continue and when to stop. Dogs need to learn to have fun playing without getting carried away by all the excitement.
- I personally think doggy day care helps a dog develop a certain degree of psychological flexibility. At doggy day care they have to learn to adapt to a new place, with different people and dogs which, in turn, can boost confidence. That’s important because confident dogs tend to be happy and less inclined to have undesirable behaviors.
