Leadership with the Dogs in Your Playgroups

One of the secrets to management in dog daycare is establishing great leadership with the dogs in your playgroups. At The Dog Gurus we recommend benevolent leadership based on mutual trust and cooperation. Keep reading as we discuss some of the best activities your team can do to build a strong bond with the dogs in your playgroup.

For us benevolent leadership means each team member should be fun and engaging in the dog’s view. Encourage your counselors to talk and touch the dogs in their care. Just be sure that the tone and touch are positive and enjoyed by the dogs. The other key to benevolent leadership is to ensure that the counselor has each dog’s back in the playgroup. It’s important each of your daycare counselors master reading canine body language and learn how intervene proactively to ensure each dog feels safe in your playgroups (for us safety includes physical, mental & emotional well-being).

Now let’s talk about the activities that will help your counselors become great benevolent leaders and build a stronger bond with the dogs in their care.

• Hula hoop game is a great way for new counselors to use body blocking and teach dogs to respect space around their body
• Recall is using a come cue with lots of praise; counselors should be able to recall all dogs in their playgroups
• Group Sit is a fun game for counselors and the dogs; start with 2-3 dogs then encourage counselors to increase the number of dogs and duration of the sit before release
• Gate Boundary is very important for the safety and enjoyment of dogs in your playgroups; using body blocking counselors claim space around the gates and doors of your play areas to keep arrivals and departures from turning into a dangerous free for all

Be sure to watch our video where we share details on teaching these activities and benefits to your playgroups. We also share tips on assessing if you have the right dogs, the size and assigning dogs to your playgroups. 

You’ll also learn about an annual fun competition that your business and daycare counselors can participate in…The Daycare Games! The Dog Gurus sponsor this event in February each year so be sure to check it out and watch your email for the opportunity to register your team. It’s a great opportunity to earn bragging rights for your pet business.