AthensPetropolis.com
Title
Petropolis
Description
Dogs as pack members: Let's start by discussing the philosophy behind why doggie daycares originated and why they are so important. Everyone may know that dogs are pack animals, but many people don't know what that means. Dogs are born knowing how to be dogs. They instinctually know how to communicate with each other, what a play bow means, how to play, how to interpret another dog's mood, etc. When I hear a customer say, "My dog doesn't even know she's a dog," it makes me smile. Your dog not only knows she's a dog, but expects you to communicate and behave like one too. They desire interaction with their own species. Human mommies and daddies are great, but no matter how hard we try, we can not replace our dogs' need for canine companionship. This is why I highly recommend owning more than one dog. If owning more than one dog is not an option, dog parks and daycares are great alternatives for providing much needed dog socialization.
While in this "pack," a hierachy quickly establishes. Within minutes, dogs distinguish who the alpha is. Alpha doesn't imply aggression; it simply means dominance. As humans, we can more easily substitute the word confidence in place of dominance. Anyone with a feisty dachshund can tell you that size, sex, color, breed nor age has anything to do with who becomes the leader. Within the pack, dogs play, submit to others, exert their dominance (even during play), try to "romance" and even discipline (give an appropriate behavior to show disapproval of another dog's behavior) their fellow canines. An example of dog discipline can be seen when a rowdy puppy jumps in an adult dog's face, only to be greeted with a growl to let the puppy know, "I don't want to play." The puppy signifies that he understands this message by either rolling over to expose his belly or simply moving away, actually "shaking it off" as a way to diffuse stress. With a few exceptions (i.e., two unneutered males vieing for a female dog's attention, a dog guarding its food from other dogs), approximately 80% of dog "fights" do not lead to injuries. The goal of each dog is to communicate a message, NOT to inflict injury.
Doggie Daycare vs. the Dog Park: The difference between doggie daycares vs. dog parks/group of loose dogs is a controlled environment. Here at Pawtropolis, the staff member assumes the position of "alpha." The dogs in day care quickly learn to recognize staff members as the leaders of the pack. We, as staff, are able to formulate the best playgroups, match dogs of similar sizes, similar play styles, etc. Staff also step in to help the aforementioned puppy (aka, "doggie nerds" as we like to call them) appropriately interact with his adult peers. In addition, we help dogs understand when another dog is not in the mood to play, redirecting their attention and/or matching them with other equally playful dogs. Furthermore, we have the luxury of selecting only those dogs suited for doggie daycare as well as keeping all unneutered males over 7 months old out of the playgroups. Lastly, staff keep all food out of the communal areas to curtail food aggression among the dogs.
