Doggie Daycare, Good? Bad? Ugly?

[Lunabaluna23]

Evening everyone!

My husband and I have been contemplating... is doggie daycare a good outlet for border collies? Our 10 month old BC has gone to a local daycare a few times and seems to sometimes get "in trouble" for herding or being "bossy". I mean she is a BC, or course she sometimes herds and can be bossy!

I just wasn't sure what kind of experience anyone else has had or any good advice!

Thank you guys!

V/R

Amanda

[Gloria Atwater]

The thing with a young dog like that is what their people may consider innocent "herding" is actually rude, unnerving and weird behavior to non-herding breeds. A young border collie is apt to be very keyed-into movement by other dogs and will play by trying to control that movement. But to the other dogs, there's just this annoying youngster that constantly blocks them, interferes with them, chases them, stares at them and maybe even nips at them. Other border collies may "get" this behavior in a youngster, but non-BCs do not.

My concern would be that your pup might be learning some bad inter-dog behaviors in that setting. I do not want my border collies "herding" or "bossing" or otherwise annoying other dogs. That behavior is alien and possibly even threatening to non-herding breeds, and could even result in someone getting bitten. Nobody wants to play while someone else keeps dashing around getting in their way.

I think I would want to keep my youngster at home and only give him chaperoned play dates with easygoing dogs, so I can ensure that he's learning proper social behaviors.

Just my opinion, others' may vary.

~ Gloria

[Lunabaluna23]

I see what your saying and that is a really good point. One that I did not originally think about.

Part of me is also wondering if BC can get stressed out in an environment with lots of different kinds of dogs having very different play styles? A lot of her "friends" (playmate pals) tend to be other working/ herding /hunting dogs of different (or the same) breeds because they all love to run ad play chase/fetch with each other and honestly because their owners and myself can talk about things we are going through that are in common. One of her playmates is a golden BC mix and she was advised by her vet not to go to a daycare setting because she just got too over whelmed.

Has anyone else had this issue?

[Maralynn]

I think both the different styles and sensory overload would affect a BC. BCs are motion sensitive and young ones can easily get over the top excited/overwhelmed in a chaotic environment (daycare). They like structure and knowing what's expected of them. And they need breaks or a spot to settle. Most daycare environments don't really facilitate those things.

[CptJack]

My dog hates other herders - she's a BC, but she can not stand that kind of staring, chasing, and controlling of movement. That she is also a herder with those tendencies changes nothing. She already has both fear issues with other dogs because of an attack AND is easily overstimulated by movement. Throw in a dog staring, chasing, and trying to body block or bite her and it's a perfect storm of NO.

 

All of that aside, she absolutely cannot hack and is totally overwhelmed by dogs who appear 'out of control'. Which means even at home if two of my dogs decide to get involved in rough play she tries to stop it. It just drives her right over the top and self-control falls out her ear. Anything running rapidly (yes, here that involves my other dogs) and she's trying to body check to stop. Since they all live here I can intervene and she IS learning to let it go - and the dogs themselves are learning to diffuse the situation, but daycare?

 

Would FRY HER BRAIN even if she wasn't also afraid of other dogs - or teach her some really, really nasty habits.

Just. No.

[D'Elle]

I second what others are saying about daycare. It sounds as though it is not a good environment for your dog. I would actually never put one of my dogs into daycare unless I had spent many days there with my dog observing interactions so that I would be comfortable with how he or she was being treated by, and was treating, other dogs. Terrible behaviors can be learned, fears developed, reactivity instigated....you get the picture. If you do play dates instead, as Gloria suggested, you can avoid that.

 

By the way.....your dog is very cute.

[terrecar]

I've had Hannah at Doggie Daycare a couple of times, but I much prefer a boarding kennel here, owned by a veterinarian, that has individual (indoor/outdoor) runs and scheduled play times. The kennel staff selects 2 to 5 compatible dogs for shorter play times on a rotating shift. The boarding fee for day care is half the overnight fee, plus a charge for optional "packages" that allow for interaction with other dogs. You can also sign up for individual potty breaks. This suits my dog much better.

 

The daycare was a good one and provided down time in crates. but there were too many dogs in each group to my dog's liking. I was provided a photo of Hannah that the staff took during her stay, and she appeared stressed to me (I may have uploaded the photo here at some point, but I can't find it now). I never took her back.

[Liz P]

After working in a doggy daycare for several years, I would never leave one of my dogs at a faclity that mixed dogs from different owners. I knew a lot about dog behavior, but most employees did not. I got in trouble for telling the truth. A Pug who had been there from the opening of the facility would bully dogs constantly. He followed them around, bit them, stared, mounted, etc. I got yelled at for putting him in a time out or correcting him when he started his behaviors. My bosses said he was "just playing" and that when the other dogs bit the Pug to defend themselves, they were the aggressive ones. The dogs who defended themselves quickly got banned for being vicious. I also got in trouble for being honest on the "report cards" that owners picked up at the end of the day. I was told I should just make up happy stuff.

 

There was a boarding facility with dog play yards (10 or so yards but at most 30 runs). During the night the dogs each had their own run. While the employees where there, the dogs were out in the yards (except in bad weather). Generally they would match up compatible dogs and put groups in each yard. Say, the shy toy dogs in one yard, the big rambunctious dogs in another. Because I had so many of my own dogs and I requested it, they got their own big private yard. It had shade, a kiddie pool, dog houses, dog beds and plenty of toys. The runs were quite small and the building itself old, but I knew when I picked my dogs up that they had been happy and well treated because they didn't want to leave. Upon being released from their runs, they immediately found toys and brought them to the employees.

 

That facility was also very thorough. They kept a file for each owner with a credit card number and signed authorization for treatment, level of treatment desired (stabilize only vs do anything) plus a maximum amount to spend in case of emergency. The file also listed the dog's usual and preferred emergency veterinarian.

 

I felt very comfortable leaving my dogs there, but I also trusted that my dogs would not be interacting with any other dogs. I had made this especially clear to them because of my fear aggressive dog and they not only honored my wishes, but made sure everyone took that fearful dog out for a game of fetch to bond with him. (Play with Sage once and he is your buddy for life.)

[mbc1963]

I had a BC who was fearful but was also the "fun police." Like other dogs described here, he could NOT allow rough play from other dogs. If two dogs got rambunctious, he tried to break it up immediately. Doggie day care would have been his worst nightmare: lots of strange dogs PLAYING ROUGH! AIIEE!

 

Reading stories about how poorly some daycare owners read dog behavior always makes me reluctant to think about it.

[jvw]

A very long time ago I took my first dog to a doggie daycare. It was pretty much when the idea first caught on in our area. It was a wonderful facility run by a very diligent skilled woman with very good assistants. The large room was divided into four areas so they could separate dogs as needed. Also the whole room was lined with crates so when a dog was ready for a break there was a spot to rest. Oh how I adored the owner. I liked her so much that she even took my dog for a few days when I had to go out of town (I pretty much never leave my dogs). It really was a top notch facility. But life changed and we moved. And then there was no need for doggie day care.

 

But out of curiosity I visited a few here and there. Boy, I really got spoiled with that first one. Some of them professed to be cage free and were so proud of it! I asked one owner what if a dog needs a break from the others? They thought there was a problem with the dog if it needed a break! Ugh

[Gloria Atwater]

I see what your saying and that is a really good point. One that I did not originally think about.

Part of me is also wondering if BC can get stressed out in an environment with lots of different kinds of dogs having very different play styles? A lot of her "friends" (playmate pals) tend to be other working/ herding /hunting dogs of different (or the same) breeds because they all love to run ad play chase/fetch with each other and honestly because their owners and myself can talk about things we are going through that are in common. One of her playmates is a golden BC mix and she was advised by her vet not to go to a daycare setting because she just got too over whelmed.

Has anyone else had this issue?

 

 

Absolutely a BC can be stressed out by dogs of different breeds and playing styles. For example, very forward dogs like boxers, golden retrievers or rottweilers can be horrifying to a BC because those dogs are usually very bouncy, forward and in-your-face. My wee Gael saw a little one year old French bull dog at the vet today and immediately backed away in concern - simply because she was taken aback by the exuberant way it lunged towards her and panted and grinned. Darling little dog and its owner kept it well under control, but Gael would have snapped and snarled at it, if the Frenchie had kept coming. They also often don't like breeds that want to body-slam or grapple as part of play.

 

Fact is, some BCs can be pretty darned racist when it comes to non-herding breeds.

 

But absolutely BCs can be overwhelmed by too many dogs and doggie doings. Remember, herding dogs are hard wired to respond to motion, and when there's too much of it, their little brains can kind of short circuit. It can result in defensive/aggressive behaviors or obsessive, undesirable behaviors if they are unable to process all that's going on around them.

 

~ Gloria

[border_collie_crazy]

I work in a doggy daycare, and honestly it depends on the BC. many are fine, but some are unrelentingly herdy to the point of flat out harassing the other dogs and refusing to let up. most of the BC's we have are great and LOVE it, but we defiantly have some that while the dog loves daycare, the dog needs to be either on a long line or you have to be on top of them every waking seconds because they unrelentingly harass the other dogs.

[medic09]

I guess we've been quite lucky. There is a doggie day care here that allowed us to observe what goes on and see the entire facility. The two co-owners carefully screen and train their staff. The place is kept clean and in good repair. The dogs are usually in two groups, roughly by size. There is ample indoor and outdoor space for the groups, and dogs can just find a corner or crate if they prefer.

 

Golan has a soft personality, and can be just a bit anxious. He doesn't herd other dogs. We brought him to the day care from about age 20 weeks or so to help with socializing him to a broad range of dogs. Around here a hike out in the arroyos or woods can mean meeting up with anybody, and we like to let our dogs off leash. So day care was a place for him to get extra activity and get used to different dogs. It worked very well for us, and even now, at almost 2 1/2 years old, we'll occasionally bring the dogs there for a change and some activity on a slow day at home. I've also boarded him there overnight a few times when needed. It has all worked very well, as far as we can tell. He has always looked happy (as does our other little dog) when I pick them up.

 

The staff keep a card on each dog with any pertinent information, instructions if the vet is needed, etc.

 

Maybe we're just lucky because Golan is usually an easy dog; but the day care thing has worked well for us.

 

One of our daughters has a very large GSD female who has terrible separation anxiety. She goes to a doggie day care run by a family out of their home; and that, too, has worked very well. They even take the dogs on walks and 'field trips'. They take in a small number of dogs on any given day, and they provide personalized care.

[highway61]

But absolutely BCs can be overwhelmed by too many dogs and doggie doings. Remember, herding dogs are hard wired to respond to motion, and when there's too much of it, their little brains can kind of short circuit. It can result in defensive/aggressive behaviors or obsessive, undesirable behaviors if they are unable to process all that's going on around them.

 

 

This has been particularly true in my experience. My own BC will run, chase with other dogs in the open but if he sees one running circles, manically at full speed he will panic and snipe the dog as it comes his way. Needless to say, he's very fixed on movement, particularly brisk motions.

 

And its just one of his idiosyncrasies that can be managed if you know what to look for/expect that if I explained them all to the daycare I'm pretty sure they would politely say "keep him at home".

[border_collie_crazy]

I will say I have never seen a BC overwhelmed and upset about daycare, I have absolutely seen dog that are very nervous and overwhelmed at first that shrink down and nip(cattle dogs and LGD mutts mostly) but in my 7 years at the daycare(30+ staff average of 130 dog per day) I have never seen a BC do that, they tend to either LOVE it and be super good and playful or love it but be total jerk faces lol, like they WANT to be right in there joining in the fun they just have no idea how to do so appropriately, so they do it obnoxiously lol