Doggy day care not sure dog likes it...

[BarkingHat]

Puppy (7 months) was shaking before going into puppy day care. She's been about 5 times, just for a morning each time.

They said she loves the walk bit, is fine with the other dogs, but seems anxious just before lunchtime before we come and pick her up.

They've suggested she might be better if she did 2 sessions a week rather than one, or stayed for the whole day. They mostly nap in the afternoons.

We are sending her partly for socialisation, she's good with other dogs, but also so it's not a shock for her if she has to go in for some reason, and also as we have cleaners in the morning she goes so its easier if she's not there.

My dog was unsettled at his first doggy day care. I hadn’t really noticed until I moved him to another one and the difference in his behaviour was extreme!

He absolutely loves this second one, gets so excited as we’re nearing it and is begging to be let in the door. She’s very good at watching the behaviour of the dogs and only has a few at a time. It’s breed specific which I feel also helps.

I would try a different day care on a trial basis and see what the result is.

Can you try another daycare setting.

Mine loves his and pulls my arm off to get into the house. But it's a family home and she is a dog walker who has one or two dogs as daycare (sometimes just mine) and he goes with her on the group walks.

I tried a big commercial one as a back up when my primary one was on holiday and he hated it. He was prettified and we attempted it twice and the staff said he just is terrified and to get him used to it we should do little and often which wasn't what I wanted.

I then found another family setting for my backup daycare and he loves that as well.

I wouldn’t take her again, she clearly hates it.

And I really disagree with the whole ‘meet and play with lots of dogs for socialisation’ thing.
I think the emphasis should be on seeing other other dogs, being able to play in the presence of other dogs, being able to follow commands in the presence of other dogs but not interacting with them unless they are ‘known’ or well mannered.

I think for a lot of dogs the ‘go and play with everyone’ approach either creates rude, over the top dogs with no manners who want to meet and play with every dog they see and won’t take no for an answer or it creates intolerant dogs who hate interacting with others.

I think if your 7 month old is already shaking and anxious at daycare where she’s surrounded by lots of other dogs I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she becomes the latter at maturity even if she ‘appears’ to be alright with other dogs at the moment

Take her to a different one if you can. Not the same but my dog was like that at our last groomers and I just assumed it was because he didn’t like being groomed. Due to covid I’ve switched and he’s actually happy to go to the new one - tail wagging and doesn’t want to leave when we come to pick him up.

Am sure it’s nothing anyone’s done wrong - just some places aren’t right.

Am sure it’s nothing anyone’s done wrong - just some places aren’t right.

This.

The difference in BiteyDog was like night and day at the large versus family setting.

She's fine when she's in there. As soon as she's behind the counter she trots off happily with a waggle. And she clearly likes the girls.

But she's not happy getting out of the car or to get into the reception.

I think I maybe need to try another one. This one was highly recommended and it's not huge numbers of dogs. My sister in law has a dog that can't wait to go in (he's in the big dog downstairs group).

Even when she's at inlaws, which she loves, there'll come a point where she just goes and sits by the door ready to be picked up. I think she likes to come home after a certain point.

She's fine when she's in there. As soon as she's behind the counter she trots off happily with a waggle. And she clearly likes the girls.

Mine will appease anyone so it could be that she still hates the place or the dogs but is still happy to see the actual people.

fair point @BiteyShark She's a people pleaser.

Mine used to hate one dog-day care.
It was in someone's home, but she had too many dogs for my dog to feel relaxed there. She didn't get any walks there.
My dog would take herself off and sit alone all day.
I tried it for a month or so, twice a week.
I then tried another dog-care lady, again in her own home.
My dog loved it there, the lay had a young son who my dog loved and much fewer dog and smaller. This lady did off lead walks which my dog loved.

You can tell from their body language, does she get excited and want to rush to go in?
It not, find somewhere else. Life is too short!

Am sure it’s nothing anyone’s done wrong - just some places aren’t right.
Yes, I think this too. It is the same with dogwalkers - I've experienced mostly excellent ones but also a few bad ones and my dog's general lack of enthusiasm/sadness was a dead giveaway that I'd hired the wrong one. Once changed , the dog (current and previous one) would instantly cheer up.