Cami
Boxer Insane
There is a doggie daycare close by and I called them today just to get some info about their facility. They suggested that I bring in Cami for a "screening" and I could get a better idea of what it is all about.
When we first arrived they immediatly wanted to take Cami from me and take her into the room where the other dogs were. I know that I looked shocked (I was), and I said no. They said that they needed to see how she reacted to the other dogs away from me. I wanted to know how were they going to get a good idea when they didn't even know her personality and I was the best judge for that? So they agreed that I could watch thru a glass but that they didn't want Cami to see me. So this I agreed to....against my better judgement.
So off my baby goes, with a complete stranger no less and all I can do is watch thru a window. She is pretty much bombarded by nearly 20 other dogs and she picks out the only 2 other Boxers there and tries to get to them. All the while this one particular dog is just obsessed with Cami's ears.....grabbing them with it's mouth and pulling, not biting or hurting her but bugging her all the same.
I got the feeling that she was in need of rescuing or at least a little moral support so I just went into the room and called out for her. She came to the sound of my voice and I stood on the outside of the fenced in area and she just kept jumping up trying to get closer to me. I felt horrible. It was apparent that she didn't like it there. Too many dogs vying for her attention, she is usually the one that is doing those sort of things. So, I tell them that I don't think that daycare is for us. They (of course), said that she was doing fine! She was not aggressive, nor was she scared of the other dogs. I agreed to both of those things but said that she was not comfortable, and I could tell because I am her mom!
So we left after spending just under 30 minutes there. On the ride home I just kept going over in my head what was different about this situation VS other situations when Cami had been around other dogs....and there have many. The majority of the times that Cami has playdates it is in her own backyard. So, she is already comfortable there, that is the first thing. The second thing is the fact that she has never once been in a group of dogs this large at one time with all the focus being on her as the "newbie". She was always fine in all of her training classes and with different events where there are lots of dogs around. I know she adores all dogs and being around them but this was just overkill......
So, doggie daycare is out. Not that I have a need for her to go to one, I just thought that it would give her a different way of having fun once in a while. I feel awful. As much attention as she was getting from the other dogs has probably given her some sort of complex. How could I have been so naive to think that things would have been different at one of these places? I know that many of you love the locations that you use but I have nothing to compare this one to as it was the first experience of it's kind.
I was told that they have toys, agility equipment etc....I saw just one ball, it was being played with by one of the Boxers....of course. My girl is MUCH better off at home with me and her daddy. We can continue to arrange playdates so that she will get to enjoy the company of other dogs.
Finally, another thing that I didn't like was the fact that they allow the dogs to use the bathroom in the area that they play. There is no place for them to gain access to the outside. They said that they cleaned anything up immediatly and I didn't see anything pottywise but still.......
Cami is fine, and basking in the sunlight coming in thru the front window about 10 feet away from me in her daddy's chair. Not a care in the world and probably NOT thinking about all of the dogs that got a good sniff in earlier today.
Just thought I would share.
Susi & Cami
When we first arrived they immediatly wanted to take Cami from me and take her into the room where the other dogs were. I know that I looked shocked (I was), and I said no. They said that they needed to see how she reacted to the other dogs away from me. I wanted to know how were they going to get a good idea when they didn't even know her personality and I was the best judge for that? So they agreed that I could watch thru a glass but that they didn't want Cami to see me. So this I agreed to....against my better judgement.
So off my baby goes, with a complete stranger no less and all I can do is watch thru a window. She is pretty much bombarded by nearly 20 other dogs and she picks out the only 2 other Boxers there and tries to get to them. All the while this one particular dog is just obsessed with Cami's ears.....grabbing them with it's mouth and pulling, not biting or hurting her but bugging her all the same.
I got the feeling that she was in need of rescuing or at least a little moral support so I just went into the room and called out for her. She came to the sound of my voice and I stood on the outside of the fenced in area and she just kept jumping up trying to get closer to me. I felt horrible. It was apparent that she didn't like it there. Too many dogs vying for her attention, she is usually the one that is doing those sort of things. So, I tell them that I don't think that daycare is for us. They (of course), said that she was doing fine! She was not aggressive, nor was she scared of the other dogs. I agreed to both of those things but said that she was not comfortable, and I could tell because I am her mom!
So we left after spending just under 30 minutes there. On the ride home I just kept going over in my head what was different about this situation VS other situations when Cami had been around other dogs....and there have many. The majority of the times that Cami has playdates it is in her own backyard. So, she is already comfortable there, that is the first thing. The second thing is the fact that she has never once been in a group of dogs this large at one time with all the focus being on her as the "newbie". She was always fine in all of her training classes and with different events where there are lots of dogs around. I know she adores all dogs and being around them but this was just overkill......
So, doggie daycare is out. Not that I have a need for her to go to one, I just thought that it would give her a different way of having fun once in a while. I feel awful. As much attention as she was getting from the other dogs has probably given her some sort of complex. How could I have been so naive to think that things would have been different at one of these places? I know that many of you love the locations that you use but I have nothing to compare this one to as it was the first experience of it's kind.
I was told that they have toys, agility equipment etc....I saw just one ball, it was being played with by one of the Boxers....of course. My girl is MUCH better off at home with me and her daddy. We can continue to arrange playdates so that she will get to enjoy the company of other dogs.
Finally, another thing that I didn't like was the fact that they allow the dogs to use the bathroom in the area that they play. There is no place for them to gain access to the outside. They said that they cleaned anything up immediatly and I didn't see anything pottywise but still.......
Cami is fine, and basking in the sunlight coming in thru the front window about 10 feet away from me in her daddy's chair. Not a care in the world and probably NOT thinking about all of the dogs that got a good sniff in earlier today.
Just thought I would share.
Susi & Cami
