Dog Daycare: A Day of Care

While you are hard at work, running errands, cleaning the house, or even getting ready for that big event in your life, try our dog daycare. A day of care at Misty Pines is an environmentally enriching day where your dog can be mentally stimulated by learning and participating in a selection of activities, which can include: training, treadmill, agility, manners/obedience, and playing with their selected dog friends. A day of daycare gives your dog an opportunity to be exposed to different environments, stimulating different sensory receptors, playing games, and learning new tricks and commands. These are all viable methods of mental stimulation for dogs that impact canine behavior, prevent mental disorders and may even trigger positive behavioral changes. Proper dog mental stimulation using a variety of different methods can decrease the chance of boredom. Daycare also provides the opportunity to learn and continue social skills with dogs and people, build confidence, and give your dog a wonderful outlet for both mental and physical exercise. Dos look up to their humans for leadership, safety, and affection.

“Dogs that are given the opportunity to be environmentally enriched, trained, and exercised at Misty Pines will become better dogs.”

Boredom: The Real Danger for Dogs.

What enrichment opportunities/activities are available for my dog during a day of care?

1. Interactions with humans and dogs. Socialize and play with selected friendly dogs of a similar play style and age in our unique sky lighted pavilion exercise yards while being monitored and supervised to ensure the play remains appropriate, fun and safe for everyone. All dogs socializing with other canines are given periodic breaks to calm, and mentally process what they have learned socially. This also gives them an opportunity to positively experience being kenneled for future boarding (with all the new sights and sounds that go along with it), should you require a home away from home when going on vacation.

2. Olfactory Stimulation. Compared to humans, dogs have 50 times more olfactory receptors in their nose. In addition, the part of the brain that analyzes odors is 40 times greater in dogs than humans. So, it makes sense that exposure of various scents will provide mental stimulation for your dog. Box/Scent work is the game we utilize for this stimulating canine enrichment experience. Dog walking is also an avenue to both human interaction and olfactory stimulation.

3. Treadmill training is both a mental and physical activity for dogs. They learn a number of behaviors, such as tread, hustle, easy, wait, and through. The physical exercise can offer obvious health benefits for dogs, such as improvements in the cardiovascular system, joints, and the respiratory system.

4. Obedience incorporated with agility obstacles. Dogs learning proper manners and behaviors are extremely important. It gives them security in recognizing how to act in various situations which will lead to a more calm and confident dog. If a dog is not taught how to act in real-life situations, they have no choice but to be what their breed traits, characteristics, and temperament tells them to be.

What Enrichment Means For Us Today

Enrichment is a process that we can all discover as we explore new ideas and designs in dog care. These environmental programs should be drawn from an understanding that dogs have a whole body, and all senses have the potential to engage a dog fully and deeply into the experience of their life, creating a joy and engagement that’s easily observable and measurable. This day of care type is so much better for dogs and for those of us who care about them. Enrichment has incredible, transformative potential. Enrichment, by this definition is vital, useful and wise. Let’s use it to make something amazing, a dog.

How do we get started for a day of care?

Please fill out and submit our New Daycare Client form. This form will give us important background and information about your dog to help us make informed decisions about the correct activity and training for your dog. At Misty Pines, “Daycare is Care for the Day,” this does not mean many, many hours of non-stop play. Each dog is unique and has specific needs that must be met in order to have a good day of daycare and this form gives us the information needed to help us start the proper program for your dog. After submission of this form a Misty Pines Daycare Supervisor will contact you to schedule your dog’s first day of daycare and discuss any other services which may be of interest to you.

Since our daycare guests do mingle with others, we require proof of inoculation of DHLPP, Bordetella (Every 6 months) and Rabies. All dogs must have received the Bordetella vaccination at least 10 days prior to their visit to Misty Pines. The waiting period will allow your dog to build optimal immunity to the vaccinations which will make your dog less susceptible to catching or transferring any unwanted viruses. This includes new and updated vaccinations. Your pet cannot be overdue for vaccinations – NO EXCEPTIONS.

Grooming can also be scheduled on days that your dog is at daycare.

Reservations are required for Daycare.

Loyalty punch cards are available.

Intact Male Dogs in Dog Daycare

Misty Pines is dedicated to the health and safety of your dog while visiting our facility. Male dogs that are sexually intact often become pushy or confrontational as they mature, especially toward other male dogs. Behavioral changes associated with testosterone in adolescence most commonly begin after six months of age.

Managing the social dynamic created by intact males in a group of other selected dogs requires specific skills and carries additional challenges and liability for staff and other dogs. Not all dogs are good candidates for group play.

Misty Pines accepts certain intact males that have been assessed by our trainers for dog socialization. There are additional fees for intact male dogs attending daycare receiving dog socialization times during lodging. This fee applies to male dogs over the age of one year old that are intact.

Enrichment Activities