Why Daycare Might Conflict With a Behaviour Modification

There is usually a bone of contention around this subject, so I have written a blog on it.

Why might daycare conflict with a behaviour modification plan for a genuine behaviour problem?

A behaviour plan is a highly controlled and managed set of protocols to limit or stop dog's practicing certain behaviours, so the behaviour can fade, whilst simultaneously replacing those behaviours with different ones. It will also aim to reduce a dog's stress levels as much as possible where relevant.

1) A lot of reactivity on the street is fear or frustration. Or a combination of the two. The dog could be barking to keep the dogs away. Or the dog wants to get to the other dog on the street, but cannot as there is a lead stopping them. It could even be that the dog is scared of the other dog but wants to get there to smell it and get more information.

At daycare the dog will have access to several or many other dogs most or all of the time. For fearful dogs, this means being flooded with things they are actually scared of and having to suppress a lot of behaviours. These can then burst out in other situations. For the frustrated reactive dog this creates more sense of entitlement that they get to meet every other dog. So, whilst the dog might indeed be having a wonderful time at daycare it is still fueling the frustration on the streets that it cannot meet the dogs. It can therefore be something that perpetuates the problem unless taken under full control by the behaviour modification program. This may not be obvious to the owner or the staff at the daycare. In fact, I can totally see why making that link between loving daycare and being reactive on the streets might be hard to identify.

2) Stress is cumulative. Good stress is still stress. Imagine if I took you to your favourite theme park and took you on all of the roller coasters all day. I then take you back another two or three times that same week, maybe every day. And then the next week and then the next week and then the next week. At some point you would get very tired of it, physically and psychologically. Even if they are having a great time everyday, it is still at a relatively high intensity experience for some personality types. Not all people are extroverts. Not all dogs are either. If you took me to a nightclub every day, it wouldn't be very long before I needed therapy. High intensity continuously over time can start to alter a dog’s tolerance levels in all areas of life. Again, quite hard to make that link unless you have seen it multiple times.

3) A behaviour modification plan is a strict controlled plan. We cannot guarantee this is 100-percent controlled at daycare, so repetition of mental and physical behaviours that will conflict with the behaviour plan might be being practiced despite the best efforts and intentions of everyone involved. Even simply running around with other dogs could be conflicting with the plan. Especially, if the dog is over exercising or running through pain or an injury causing stiffness, pain or degeneration later. Simply put as a behaviorist, we cannot see what is happening at day care. It is not a criticism of daycare or anyone involved, it is just a simple fact that it is a huge amount of time that the behaviour plan might not be followed.

4) We cannot talk to the dog. Simply put therefore, sometimes a diagnostic exclusion is a good way to check if something is perpetuating or contributing to the problem. Therefore, sometime out of daycare is an easy filter to implement. There are good alternatives whilst this is taking place such as a single dog walk or a home visit.

5) A good behaviourist will have years if not decades of experience and qualifications and will have seen cases like yours over and over many times. Therefore, as much as this may seem like a contentious or judgemental issue, it is born out of being genuine and honest. A good behaviourist would rather be upfront and not take your money unless you have the means and willingness to follow everything in the behaviour plan. I make no secret that a temporary pause of daycare might be part of the behaviour plan and I do not take people's money unless they are happy with this.

Remember, this is not daycare bashing. I personally know and have a close relationship with a fantastic day care in my area. She is wonderful, forward-thinking and analyses the dog's body language and is honest with clients if the dog is not enjoying themselves or she thinks there is any negative effect occurring. If you run a daycare and would like a free body language session, I am more than happy to come along. 

Remember if you run a daycare, you have probably helped a heck of a lot of dogs. Yes, daycare can be good for a lot of dogs. 

The situation in this blog, applies to a small percentage of dogs who have persistent behaviour problems that have not been helped by daycare, where the client has sought help from a behaviourist. It is never going to be a big enough percentage of your dog's to affect your livelihood. Therefore, please if this situation arises for you, support the clients in the best interest of the dog. Pushing back against the decision does not help the dog or the owners.

If you are needing help to put your dog on the right track, have a look at my pages on 1-1 behaviour plan or 1-1 Walk in the Park reactive dog plan, I look forward to helping you. Send questions via text or WhatsApp and I will always respond within a day or two maximum.