Setting Up Puppy DayCare

Offering Puppy DayCare consists of day kenneling, supervised play sessions, positive socialization to exam rooms, gentle handling, minor training such as come, sit, down, Help your clients avoid the problems of home-alone puppies.

Help your team learn and practice their education with real puppies!

Early Puppy DayCare Curriculum for puppies, less than 4 months old.

• Group in runs according to size and personality.

• Set up a schedule with goals in mind.

• Do not feed meals for puppy daycare. (Puppy will get enough food from frozen Kongs and training sessions. You want the puppies to be hungry.

Sample Schedule

1. When puppies arrive put them in a "play area" with other puppies.

2. Then move puppies to a kennel (have owner bring their kennels, if desired) for a

3. Frozen Pupsicles Kongs during kennel time to teach contented confinement followed by the opportunity to eliminate to learn to "go" on "cue" such as Get Busy or Go Potty.

4. Reward elimination. on cue with a puppy play session in an exam room or any area gated with baby gates or in a large run or fenced yard.

5. Following puppy play, use treats for training sessions, Take puppy into an exam room for training with treats. Be sure the exam table becomes a "cookie" table in the puppy's perception. (On the table, treat, happy voice) Take puppy through gentling exercises.

6. Teach come, sit, down (Puppy Push-ups) for treats and praise.

7. Then back to a kennel for a nap with another frozen Kong

8. After nap, out to eliminate

9. As a reward for elimination, another play session time in a run with a few puppy friends.

NOTE:  Treats given should be the size of a Cheerio. Try using kibble as a treat. If puppy is fearful, try a more appealing treat such a Jerky Treat. (If using Jerky treats, break off to smallest size). Have Hot Dog Chips with you for rewarding the best responses.

Canine DayCare consists of day kenneling, supervised play sessions, and minor training such as sit before greeting and going through doors.

The goal of Canine DayCare is to safely socialize and build the dog’s confidence by rewarding him for acting calm in a variety of situations. The highest emphasis should be on positive interactions (with people and other dogs), since DayCare is part of socialization training. Review the Positive Dog Parenting curriculum to advance your education.

The materials below are designed to assist the team in creating a successful DayCare Program within their existing space. DaySchool can be separate or combined. In DaySchool a team member or local Affiliate trainer works with the puppy or dog on the basic "good manners" training instructions, come, sit, down, stay, off (leave it) and leash walking.