Group of dogs in playroom looking at Canine Coach

Every year, children enter a new school year ready to learn, grow, thrive and develop with new classmates and teachers. Placing them in this environment on a regular basis allows them to develop new skillsets and grow mentally and physically. Did you know the same is true for dogs at daycare?  

As you start to prepare for back to school season and figure out how you’re going to balance everyone’s schedules, don’t forget about your pup! They will start to miss their favorite human playmates as you spend more time away from the home. Dog daycare at Dogtopia is the perfect environment for your dog to learn new skills, maybe break some bad habits, make new friends and get plenty of exercise. Dogs really do learn through playing with other dogs! Here are just a few of the learnings we help to teach and reiterate within our playrooms during daycare:  

Name Recall  

A Canine Coach will wander around the playroom and call out a dog’s name. When the dog responds to their name, they will be given positive praise and pets. It is important for a dog to respond to their name. When a dog knows and responds to their name, their safety in and around the home increases. If a dog gets out or you want them to come inside, being able to call their name and give them a direction makes everything easier at home! 

Door Control  

Dogs love to welcome new guests into a room and sometimes they get a little too excited. Door Control is a way of training dogs to take a few steps back from the door when people or other dogs are entering or exiting and sit patiently. A curved line is drawn about 3-5 feet from the door. If a dog crosses the line, the Canine Coach will say, “Nope” and move them out of the circle. If the dog remains outside the circle, they will be praised. Teaching this skill is helpful at home too. When guests come over or when a dog’s pet parent comes home with groceries in hand, it is helpful for the dog to remove themselves from the area near the door so the guest or pet parent can enter with ease.  

Leash & Collar Desensitization  

At Dogtopia, we want dogs to feel comfortable in every situation which includes in a collar and on a leash. When a dog is in a calm state, a Canine Coach will briefly give the dog praises and pets while touching and holding their collar before they release. A leash will be used to guide a dog from one area of the playroom to another to acclimate the dog to walking on a leash. Praise is reinforced after the leash is removed. When a dog is desensitized to its collar and leash at home, they are more comfortable wearing both regularly. When it’s time for a walk, the dog will feel comfortable and calm on the leash without aggression or unease. 

Follow the Leader 

This activity involves a Canine Coach briskly walking around the room. If any dogs follow the leader around the playroom, they are rewarded with praise and pets. If a dog follows someone around a room, it is suggested the dog respects them. When in a home setting, the follow the leader game can be used practically when walking to the kitchen or out to the car and back. Your dog will follow you because of their time spent practicing someone they respect at Dogtopia! 

Learn & Play at Dogtopia 

Like a child’s school experience, your dog will grow and thrive in an environment that allows them to learn and develop in a positive way. While your dog is at Dogtopia, they are busy playing with other like-minded pups and learning at the same time! Our highly trained Canine Coaches are here to provide regular, positive reinforcement so the new skills will stick. This is similar to a math class for a child. One math lesson is a start, but math lessons taught regularly will build strength in the subject. A consistent routine of dog daycare will help your pup learn the skills necessary to be a well-rounded and super smart dog! 

As the school year begins and lifestyles adjust to a new normal routine, make it a part of your route to drop off your pup at Dogtopia! They don’t want to miss out on the fun of spending time with their BFFFs and learning new skills. Ready to get your dog into daycare? Use our location finder to find a Dogtopia near you: https://www.dogtopia.com/location-finder/