Doggie Day Care

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Hi All,

I wanted to note something to you all.  Last weekend Kryten and Ripley came 
for a play day.  Ripley of course spent her time with Ditto and 
Ragen.  Kryten went to the kennel yard to play with the "big" dogs.  Kryten 
goes to a doggie day care a couple of times per week as Jan and Charles 
both work full time and they want him to be happy well adjusted and 
social.  He is all of those things by virtue of his breeding:  Timberline 
:-))))  But I was most impressed with Kryten, and how he took to being 
thrown in with the masses with out so much as a blink, trotted off to play 
and never looked back...

I strongly encourage all of you to find resources same/similar for your 
dogs.  Day care is cheap but I really have to say I think even one day a 
week is well worth it...  Other options can be come up with:  Play groups 
could be formed right off of this list many of you live with in a short 
drive of each other and must as well have friends with dogs (other breeds 
too) and there are dog parks all over.  Puppy kindergarten ect...

I really can not impress upon you just how settled and easy Kryten was with 
the whole situation.  Often we board back our own and often the first few 
days can be tough on the visitor, and understandably so if they are not use 
to being away...  This breaks my heart but more importantly if your dog is 
ever going to have to be away from you if he/she is use to going some place 
else boarding will be easier for he/she if you take the time to well 
socialize.

Leigh and Renee practice this with Torrey and Maple as they have friends 
who have three dogs two goldens (one is our Dazzle, sister to TJ) and a 
black lab.  They often get together with Steve and Bev just so the dogs can 
play...  When Maple comes here she is social and happy...  Torrey is a 
rescue and his first months at his first home in my opinion were not 
optimal and he does still have problems...  We keep Torrey in the house 
with us most of the time when he is here.  I think if Torrey was socialized 
properly before he was adopted he would be sounder...  He's not bad but I 
am using him as an example as I know Leigh and Renee don't mind.

Socialization is so very important...  I take it for granted as do others 
on this list who have multiple dogs and who are involved in the sport of 
dogs.  However I see dogs even at dog shows who are freaked out simply by 
being in a crowd.  This is not good...  Ember for example while she did not 
go on the show grounds this weekend went along for the long ride to the 
show, played with pup's we know in the parking lot and got to smell the 
"roses"... Haus being a German Shepherd, the breed is not known for taking 
to everyone, is another good example of a well socialized dog.  Though he 
again comes form a kennel that has great temperaments he has been afforded 
much socialization.  When he was small 4 to 6 months old a friend of mine 
who has a cousin to Haus would come over and leave his puppy with me and 
take Haus off with him for short periods of time.  Haus has also spent time 
at Judy's with little to no real discomfort.   Anyway I think you all get 
the message here...

Gina :-)

PS: Jan or Charles would you mind posting to the list the address for your 
day care...