At Eva’s Play Pups we understand the importance of continuing education and always strive to expand our knowledge. We are constantly looking for resources to learn more about dogs’ health, behaviors, instincts and well-being in order to provide the best care we can for our client’s fur babies. Our goal is not to do a “good job” - we pride ourselves on doing an AMAZING job - thereby having the happiest and healthiest canine campers in the Great Northeast!
Through 20+ years of working with packs of dogs we have learned to never become complacent or think we know it all. Dogs can always surprise us and we need to keep an open mind and recognize that there is always more to learn in order to continuously improve the safety and well-being of the dogs in our care. If at any moment we are no longer willing to learn and grow, thinking we know it all, it is at that moment that we should no longer care for animals.
Doing an amazing job on a continuous basis takes time and effort. We are constantly reviewing our protocols and policies to assess what works, what does not and what we can improve. Our camp counselors who work hands-on with the dogs every day are our best resources for the information that we take into account when deciding what our protocols should be and if changes need to be made.
Our staff provides insight for things such as:
How to guide a group of dogs safely into a specific area at camp
How to put pups back into their crates after an outing
How to make sure campers maintain their weight while staying with us (given they burn lots of calories running around camp)
How to handle otherwise nice dogs who tend to get over excited at the pond
Another way that Eva’s Play Pups Country Camp keeps a commitment to learning and growing is by allowing team members the opportunity to attend seminars and training sessions with other dogs professionals. The world of dog behavior and health is endless. Curiosity and willingness to travel and learn is the best way for our staff to grow and develop their arsenal of dog information.
In early March, just before our whole country went into pandemic lockdown, camp counselors and members from our dog behavior team, drove to Plymouth Massachusetts and attended The Quiet Dog Daycare seminar organized by Beach Dogz Daycare’s founder Laurie Wagner. We had a wonderful time increasing our knowledge on how to create a calm environment for dogs. Our team also learned important skills for recognizing and working with fearful and energetic dogs.
During the weekend long seminar we studied human body language and its effects on the dogs in our care. We also learned how to calm down overly excited dogs so as not rile up the pack. Laurie also taught us how to help shy and fearful dogs safely acclimate into a pack. This was especially useful as we often have dogs arriving at camp who are raring to go - shaking with excitement, spinning in circles and ready to go running across the fields. While it makes us happy to see returning dogs excited and ready to play, we understand that if we cannot control this behavior, it can lead to an overly excited pack and potentially cause tiffs. Rowdy behavior upon arrival can also convince the shy and scared dogs that, as they had suspected, camp is indeed a scary and noisy place. Our challenge as camp counselors is to balance fun and play while controlling excitement so as not to reach a point where trouble ensues.
After learning from Laurie and her staff, we were able to watch them in action! Our counselors had the opportunity to spend a day at her daycare facilities and practice what we had learned with hands-on experiences. We were able to spot the overly excited dogs, curb their behaviors and experience the actual slowdown of the pack as a result. Our team also worked with a very shy dog and participated in its integration with the pack, starting in a private enclosure. It was very insightful to watch the shy dog study her future playmates and then slowly and calmly integrate herself into the pack. What a wonderful experience to see her come out of her shell!
The most valuable lesson that we took with us from working with Laurie and the Quiet Dog Seminar was how to safely and calmly move dogs from one area of the property to another. At Countryside Camp, we have 8 different areas that we use for our campers, rotating between each area in order to give the dogs different smells and experiences on a daily basis. For example, a Large Dog group can spend one day in our 100 Acres, the next day at the pond and the next in Beelane or Fern Gully. We also rotate the Medium and Small Dog Groups between these areas the same way. However, no matter the size of the dogs in the group, the gates are always a source of excitement! Our ongoing challenge has always been figuring out the best way to move a pack of 20 excited dogs safely through the gates from one area to the next.
We have learned that there is only one way. Stay calm and let dogs through one at the time as they calm down. Start with the dogs who sit quietly wagging their tails waiting for instructions to go through the gate, calling their names and encouraging them to go through. Do this until the most excited dogs have calmed down and then let them through. This, of course, is easier said than done and it is for sure an exercise in patience for humans and dogs alike. However, if done consistently, the pack will learn that the quickest way to get into the awesome new area for play and exploration is to stay calm ! This method works IF you stay firm with the protocol. We now know first hand!
Working safely with large groups of dogs requires knowledge and understanding of dog behaviors, body language (both human and canine) and patience. Our team understands that every dog is unique and requires differing degrees of assistance to integrate happily and safely into playgroups. With guidance from canine counselors, our campers have come to respect our calm leadership role in the pack and trust how we communicate with them. A cohesive playgroup is a calm playgroup!
This seminar was an invaluable learning experience. Our team definitely mastered some new tricks as well as firmed up our understanding and beliefs in our existing dog behavior protocols and policies at camp. It was a weekend of education and growth as dog professionals. Thank you, Laurie, for creating and sharing your knowledge in the Quiet Dog Daycare Seminar!