Daycamp
Daytime boarding and group playAt Dawgs in Motion we refer to Daycare as Daycamp; where your pup can play with all our other dogs!
We accept all breeds, ages, and sizes!
Daycamp is one of our most popular services here at Dawgs in Motion! We have about 300 dogs that use our Daycamp service each week. Daycamp is always supervised by our great staff that are trained to recognize dog body language to maintain a safe play environment for all the dogs.
Our facility features three large, fenced in outdoor fields (with real grass!), four smaller fenced in areas, and two indoor space when Wisconsin weather strikes. Another great feature, NO STAIRS! Stairs can be challenging for young and old dogs, but they won’t have to deal with them here. The dogs run and play for several hours through out the day, with an hour long nap and snack break in between. We do our best to keep the dogs outdoors in our largest areas, and to keep them comfortable no matter the weather or season.
Is daycamp right for my dog?
Daycamp is a great way for your dog to burn some energy, make new friends, and get some healthy separation from you as the owner but it isn’t right for everyone. Every dog is different just like people and every dog is going to have a preference. For this reason we have several options for your pup.
A few helpful questions you may ask before starting daycamp group play would be:
Why am I looking at daycamp for my dog?
Does my dog like other dogs?
Is my dog anxious around loud noises?
Is my dog anxious around strangers?
Does my dog know basic obedience like come, sit, off, etc.?
Does my dog have any medical conditions such as seizures, blindness, torn ALC, anxiety, etc.?
Has my dog ever displayed aggression to people or other animals?
Am I doing this for me or for my dog?
What should I bring to daycamp?
* Quick release collar – flat buckle or martingale. Not a break away collar!
* Non-retractable leash – nylon, cotton, leather, bio thane, etc.
* Lunch/Treats labeled with name (lunch time is 11:30-12:30) – OPTIONAL
* Blanket or Bed for in your pup’s kennel – OPTIONAL
* Toy for in your pup’s kennel – OPTIONAL
Groups
Dogs that pass will be placed into one or more of 3 group based on their size, age, temperament, and personality:
Group A: Large, high activity dogs that like to play hard
Group B: Medium, balanced dogs that like to play moderately
Group C: Small, calmer group for smaller dogs, shy dogs, or young/small puppies
Daycamp Tools and Procedures
Daycamp group play begins with our trained supervisors meet with the daycamp manager and review the “Group List” a specially designed list of each of the dogs in attendance for the day. The group list is split into up to 3 groups depending on the days attendees and their needs. During this meeting our team familiarizes themselves with each dog’s specially documented personality and behavioral notes and creates a plan of success for our guests.
Once the meeting has taken place dogs are then brought outside from their kennels on a slip lead (unless health concerns do not safely permit it). We do not allow our dogs to run loose in our camp rooms (the rooms where our pups are kenneled until their activity time) for safety. Each dog is walked from their room (kennel) to the outdoor play yards where they are given time to eliminate in our gravel areas. Once the dogs have eliminated, we will guide them to one of the play yards. If the weather is nice we will bring them out to one of our large fenced in grass turf fields to run and play! If the weather is not so nice or the fields are muddy we will either bring the dogs into the indoor training arena to play or in our larger gravel yards to play!
The time that your dog spends out in daycamp will depend on their needs and behavior. Some dogs can become easily overstimulated in a fast paced and exciting environment and thrive on more frequent shorter playtime and others do well with more prolonged playtime. Our team will carefully decide what will be best for your dog to achieve the perfect balance of enrichment, fun, and quality care for your individual pup!
Each of our daycampers will also receive a personalized report card that will detail their day, who their staff and dog friends were, their mood, and what they did along with any special notes we wish to make you aware of! These can be found in the customer portal.
During daycamp our staff will work with your dog on different enrichment activities including playtime with toys, on exercise sets and playgrounds, agility and medical equipment exposure, bubbles, and training for good manners such as “sit” “off” “come” and more. Our team does work to curb excessive inappropriate behavior such as digging, chewing, mounting (humping) of staff and other dogs, and rushing gates/doors etc. To correct negative behaviors our staff uses verbal corrections such as “No” “Ah-Ah” or “Leave-It” and we also have squirt bottles to help deter a dog from performing a negative behavior. Anytime a dog is corrected or walked away from doing something inappropriate we always reinforce their alternative good behavior with lots of extra love and praise to help encourage them to show more of the good behavior in the future.
In the afternoon all dogs have a special down time where they are returned to their room and are allowed a rest period to avoid stress and over-stimulation. Guests may bring a lunch or treats or choose to add on a special treat (we offer cheese kongs, peanut butter kongs, puppaccinos, and banana berry smoothies). Once break time is over the fun begins again! Owners that want to check in on their dogs can also choose to add on a special pupdate! Pups that sign up for these pupdates will received a personalized update via text message on how your dog is doing, who their friends are, and er even include their featured pictures on our facebook page! We even offer personalized photobooths to go home with your pup at the end of the day!
Getting Started
To get started in our daycamp program you must first fill out the pet summary in full so that we can make an initial evaluation on your dog. This can be found on your customer portal. Owners must also submit vaccination proof for distemper and bordetella (kennel cough) for all dogs and rabies for dogs that are 16 weeks or older. Once you have filled out the pet summary you can fill out your vet contact information and the remaining information in your customer portal. You will then submit a request for a daycamp evaluation for your dog. Once your request is approved you will receive notification of confirmation and you will then be able to fill out the customer agreement (this is a one time agreement per human customer so if you have already filled one out for a previous pet you will not need to do this again).
Dogs that participate in our daycamp service must be spayed or neutered if they are over 2 years of age. Females that are in season are not able to attend daycamp until after their cycle has completed.
Introductions
We introduce new dogs to Day Camp slowly over an entire day. New dogs that are approved to try daycamp will sign up for their first day evaluation. On this day your pup will work with our daycamp manager/supervisor and the daycamp monitors who will evaluate their behavior, temperament, and understanding of basic obedience. Your evaluator will fill out an evaluation form that goes over the dogs willingness to work with staff in the different areas of our facility including our camp rooms and play areas. If your pup does well then they will have a chance to meet some new playmates.
Dogs are introduced one at a time. Their behavior is first observed between fences to provide plenty of space for your canine companion to feel safe and comfortable. Next they are introduced to a single playmate selected just for them for their introduction based on their initial behavior. Dogs and puppies that do well with their first dog will have a chance to meet a second or even third playmate (if they continue to do well), each time getting one-on-one attention with that new pal. If they have a good reaction and are enjoying the time with the other dog we will slowly add more dogs to their group one at a time to evaluate their behavior in larger group settings. This is all done on an individual basis to ensure your dog is having the best experience possible.
Our evaluators take into account the many factors that may affect your dog’s behavior when at our facility such as if your dog is demonstrating puppy behavior, if the weather may be causing a change in behavior, adaptability, and much more. We will not fail a dog unless we have concerns for the safety, health, and well being of your dog, other clients dogs, or the staff. We do our best to try and work with all dogs that come to our facility and offer training for those that need some work in areas such as handling or obedience.
If your dog passes the first part of their evaluation they will have their group play introduction evaluation, which takes place in the afternoon. This evaluation will then test your dog’s compatibility in a pack setting with the other dogs and replicated a normal day of daycamp. We will test to see how your dog dogs being integrated into a group that has already been established while also having more dogs added as the group is formed.
Reasons a dog may not pass evaluation
At Dawgs in Motion we are always putting the safety and happiness of all of our guests first. With this in mind there are some cases where we may decline a dog for our daycamp group play. Listed below are a few of the more common reasons a dog may not be a good fit for the pack play option.
Aggression: This is an obvious one. Dogs that show aggression towards the staff or other dogs are not a good fit for group play. If the aggression is being demonstrated due to fear we would be willing to work with the dog through training playdates to help acclimate and socialize your pup and help them become more comfortable. Dogs that show aggression out of dominance or reasons other than fear or lack of confidence would be referred to our in-home trainer.
Lack of Obedience: Dogs that participate in group play need to know the basics – Name, Come, Sit, and Leave-It. This helps our teams to manage the groups and the dog’s behavior and help to guide them on proper play styles and movement through the building and play areas safely. We do make exceptions for puppies that are still learning and dogs that are enrolled in classes.
Excessive Mounting: Dogs mount sometimes to initiate play, rank themselves in the pack, and to relieve stress. While mounting once in a while in the group is a natural and normal thing (even for females or altered dogs), it can become a problem when it becomes excessive. It can upset the other dogs leading to potential altercations and is a sign that your dog is stressed and anxious. If your dog would mount excessively we would not be able to allow them in the daycamp setting.
Face-barking: Just like with mounting, this is often a way for dogs to initiate play and communicate with one another but when it becomes excessive and your dog does not listen to corrections from staff and their other companions, it can lead to other dogs becoming stressed and uncomfortable which in turn can cause altercations.
Muzzle Punching: Just like someone punching you in the shoulder or jabbing at you, this behavior, when repetitive or harsh can cause companions to become annoyed, sore, and unhappy with the behavior. Dogs that muzzle punch will also often nip at their targets causing their companion to become scared, sore, or upset.
Fun Times at Day Camp
Testimonials
I have a very small dog..9 lbs..and had trouble finding a place where she could actually play with other dogs. My girl gets so excited for doggy daycare and she’s pooped all night! The staff is friendly and my dog shows no fear going there!!
Both of my boys, Dinger and Mason, have attended doggy daycare once a week since we got them and they were about 4-6 months old… still love going on a weekly basis. The staff is always very friendly, helpful and accommodating. I trust all of them with my “babies”. They definitely get some extensive play time during the day because they are always passed out on the ride home and for a while after we arrive home. If you are looking for a place to send your dogs for a day or overnight, Dawgs in Motion is the place to do it! You will not be disappointed in this decision.”
We love DIM, our dog has been going to DIM for over 5 years. It’s his home away from home. He loves going to daycare to see all his furry and human friends. I never have to worry when we leave him for night camp, as we know he will be well taken care of.