Q:  Does the "Cookie Kong" take the place of the Kong lunch?

A:  No, it is a very small energy snack and is not at all like a Kong lunch, or the lunch you bring from home. It is actually provided as another source of stimulation for your dog as he tries to figure out the best way to get the cookie out of that Kong!

Q:  What if my dog comes in when his size group is resting?

A:  He will be put into a resting area with his size group, and be brought out on the next rotation of his group. Remember, the groups rotate frequently so it is never long before another rotation. If your dog comes in when his size group is playing he will of course go directly to the play floor.

Q:  Where does my dog rest?

A:  We have a separate area for the resting dogs that does not face the group, but they can see each other. They are given a bed, water and, once a day, a Cookie Kong. Many dogs won't drink adequately when they play even though we have fresh drinking water available at all times. The resting periods should encourage these dogs to think about drinking more than before - this is a good thing.

Q:  What goes on during the weekends?

A:  Due to our canine training classes we have to maintain a schedule similar to what we have now. However, each group will get at least two extended play periods in the morning and two in the afternoon/evening. We will make sure everyone gets plenty of exercise.

Q:  What about the cameras? If my dog will be playing in all areas of the floor won't it be harder to see him?

A:  For now the cameras will left the way they are, but instead of "Small Dog Group" "Large Dog Group" etc. the prompts will read "Play Room Left" "Play Room Middle" "Play Room Right".  Most dog daycares do not have the problem of too much space J so this camera situation does not occur often! It may be a little harder to track him down because he will have the whole room to play in. But remember - he will be having a blast - dogs just want to have fun, and that's what we are going to give them!

Q:  You say there will be more supervision. How much more?

A:  We have always had one dog guardian per 15 dogs. However, because all the guardians can be together in one play area there will be more interaction with the dogs and no barriers between dogs and guardians.

Q:  What will happen if one of the dogs is causing problems in his size group?

A:  As before, if we have a dog misbehaving he will be given a time out in one of the time out kennels. The difference between the rest cycle and a time out is very different. The time out only lasts for a minute or two, and then the dog is back on the play floor. Obviously, if we have a chronic trouble maker we speak to the dog's owner and advise him of some training options. We also work with our trainers to try to solve the small problems before they become big problems.  With added guardian interaction dogs that may be in the same size group, but not very friendly towards each other, will be provided more personal supervision than ever before.   

Q:  Does the new schedule take play time away from my dog?

A: If you add up the minutes it does work out to be a little less time, but not much.  Remember, we have done away with the long naptime over lunch.  The best part of this new system is that the quality of the play is so much better, there is more supervision, there is more room to run, and equipment to play on. You may find that your dog is more tired at the end of the day than he was before. Also, there is more mental stimulation from the games we will be playing with him and his change of scenery on his rotations. Mental stimulation equals a mentally exercised dog, and that produces more contentment that adds to his sense of well being!

A little story tells you why our way of daycare is best: