How Doggy Daycare Helps with Socialization

The right kind of socialization can help dogs grow to be friendly, confident animals. Is doggy daycare a good way to socialize a dog? It can be, for a dog is well-suited to the environment. Older, unsocialized dogs may not do well with unfamiliar dogs and humans. However, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, is up to date on shots, and is on preventive treatment for fleas, ticks, and parasites, doggy daycare can be very rewarding.

It’s important to understand that dogs have different personality. Dog sociability happens on a spectrum, and different dogs have different preferences and needs. Here’s how the experts classify the various dog types:

• Dog social: These dogs enjoy the company of almost every dog they encounter. Most puppies start out this way but change as they get older.
• Dog tolerant: This is where most adult dogs fall on the spectrum. Dog tolerant dogs get along with most other dogs, communicate well, and require normal supervision.
• Dog selective: This kind of dog has a small circle of approved dogs. Dog selective dogs tend to have a short fuse and be very opinionated about play styles and types of dogs. They might be considered “instigators” or “fun police”. It’s a pretty normal category for adult dogs, though rare for puppies.
• Dog aggressive: These dogs have few or no dog friends, and are very reactive on the leash, with poor social skills. Humans must provide skilled support and direction in order for these dogs to interact successfully with other dogs. Dogs in this category typically have a history of bad experiences with other dogs, and it’s abnormal for a puppy to react this way.

Dog selective and dog aggressive dogs aren’t bad dogs. They just don’t like hanging out with other dogs, and need a little bit of extra management from their humans. Introducing these dogs to large groups of dogs can set them up for failure and actually be detrimental to their socialization.

For dogs who are good candidates for doggy daycare, though, the experience can be extremely beneficial. The exercise and mental stimulation they receive can help prevent them from being destructive or acting out at home. As long as it’s a safe, clean environment, where they get plenty of supervision from humans while enjoying the company of other dogs, doggy daycare can be a great choice to help socialize your dogs.

At Reed Animal Hospital, we treat your pets as if they were our own. Our goal is to help you and your pet enjoy a healthy, fulfilling life together, so our extraordinary team offers a wide range of services. We’ve got veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and receptionists, all prepared to help you and your pet, and we even offer referrals to specialty surgeons, many of whom will travel to our office to consult with you. For more information or to make an appointment, call us in Campbell at 408-369-1788, or in Saratoga at 408-647-2906.