An Ounce of Prevention

The Dog Gurus recently presented a two-day workshop for Puppyworks.  We covered a wide range of topics dealing with off-leash play, including managing playgroups, dealing with problem behaviors, and responding to bites and fights.  The common thread that started all of these sessions was prevention. The two most important factors in preventing problem behavior include properly training staff and properly screening dogs.  But what happens once you’ve screened a dog.  Do they need routine re-assessments?  The Dog Gurus would say, “Yes!”

Having the right dogs is critical to safe off-leash play. And just because a dog is a good fit on the day you meet him, doesn’t mean he will continue to be a good fit.  This month’s bonus item the Existing Dog Evaluation Checklist and Instructions will allow you to objectively evaluate your current daycare dogs to identify any changes in the dogs since they were first evaluated.

There are a wide range of reasons for a continuing assessment process.

• As dogs mature, their behavior can change. Older dogs may be less inclined to play, and may become less tolerant of the high-energy groups that they once enjoyed.  A recurring assessment can identify when it’s time for a dog to change to a lower energy group.
• As dogs get used to the daycare environment, some can become bullies.  A recurring assessment can help identify when this bullying behavior is becoming a trend that might warrant a discussion with the owner and/or possible dismissal from playgroup.
• Dogs can become overly protective of the staff or other dogs. A recurring assessment can help to objectively score a dog as green, yellow, or red, and make good decisions on whether the dog is still a good fit in off-leash play based on his current behavior.
• Once a dog has been attending daycare, the staff can have a hard time being objective about a dog’s behavior.  The saying, “Love is blind” can certainly be true of the staff who come to love the dogs in their care.  An assessment can help the staff be more objective.
• If staff members have an ongoing problem with certain dogs, an assessment can identify specific areas of concern and help you decide if the problem is something that can be resolved by the staff or if the dog needs a better energy outlet.

Begin using this month’s monthly bonus and plan to assess a few dogs each quarter.  Then continue to monitor your ratio of green and yellow dogs.  You want to aim for no more than 20% yellow.

Before you pull your hair out because your staff can’t manage the dogs, make sure you have dogs that actually belong in off-leash play. Having the right dogs can make all the difference between an easy, well-run group and a group that is harder to manage.