by The Crunchy Canine | Oct 8, 2018 | Puppy Training
Is Dog Daycare Right for Your Dog? Benefits, Risks & Common Myths
Dog daycares are becoming more popular than ever. From high-end facilities to backyard setups, they seem to be everywhere. At first glance, sending your dog somewhere to run and play all day sounds like a great idea.
But is dog daycare actually the right choice for every dog? Not necessarily.
While some dogs thrive in daycare environments, others may become overwhelmed, overstimulated, or even develop behavioural issues if the environment isn’t right.
Common Myths About Dog Daycare
Myth #1: Daycare Will Make My Dog More Social
Many owners believe that sending their dog to daycare will improve socialization. In some cases, it can—but it’s not guaranteed.
Dogs that are shy, nervous, or selective with other dogs may become overwhelmed in large group settings. Instead of becoming more social, they may become stressed, defensive, or reactive.
Proper socialization is about controlled, positive experiences—not constant exposure.
A well-run daycare with trained staff can help manage this, but poorly managed environments can make things worse.
Myth #2: High-Energy Dogs Need All-Day Play
Exercise is important—but constant stimulation is not always healthy.
Many daycares allow dogs to play all day without structured rest. This can lead to overstimulation, increased adrenaline, and difficulty settling down.
Some dogs come home exhausted, but others return just as hyper—or even more so—because they’ve built endurance and stayed in a heightened state all day.
A good daycare should include structured downtime and know how to manage arousal levels.
Myth #3: Daycare Will Fix Behaviour Problems
Daycare is not a substitute for training.
Unless your dog is enrolled in a structured training program (such as a day school with a professional trainer), they are unlikely to learn better behaviour.
In fact, unwanted behaviours like jumping or barking can sometimes get worse if they are unintentionally reinforced in a group environment.
So, Is Dog Daycare a Good Idea?
It depends on your dog and the quality of the daycare.
Some dogs benefit from daycare—especially those who are social, confident, and enjoy group play.
However, not all dogs are suited for this type of environment, and not all daycares provide the structure and supervision needed.
What to Look for in a Good Dog Daycare
- Staff trained in dog behaviour and body language
- Structured play and rest periods
- Controlled group sizes
- Calm environment, not constant chaos
- Clear safety and management protocols=
Dog daycare is not inherently good or bad—it’s highly dependent on the individual dog and the environment.
Before enrolling your dog, take the time to research, observe, and evaluate whether it truly benefits your dog’s well-being.
In some cases, the wrong daycare can undo training progress rather than support it—so choose carefully.
Dogs Reformed
How to Fix Leash Reactivity
by The Crunchy Canine | Aug 30, 2018 | TESTIMONIALS
If you want to have someone train your dog this is where you go. Katherine does an amazing job not only with your dog BUT more importantly with you as the owner. We can’t say enough good things about The Crunchy Canine. As our puppy turned into a dog he / we developed some bad habits and how Katherine was immediately there for us to assist in resolving these bad habits well after the training just showed us that Katherine cares about you and your dog being happy and not just collecting money for useless training. Thank you to The Crunchy Canine and our instructor Katherine for making our life so much happier with our pup and for caring about him as much as we do.
Ryan with Vedder in Binbrook
by The Crunchy Canine | Aug 14, 2018 | Puppy Training
Stop Unwanted Dog Behaviour: Why “Just Don’t Let Them” Works
“Just don’t let your dog do that.”
It sounds overly simple—and that’s exactly why many people overlook it. But in many cases, this approach is one of the most effective ways to stop unwanted dog behaviour.
Why Dogs Keep Repeating Bad Behaviour
Dogs repeat behaviours that they practice regularly. If a behaviour works—or simply becomes a habit—it will continue.
Whether it’s barking at the window, jumping on guests, or counter surfing, every repetition strengthens the behaviour.
This is why stopping the behaviour at the source is so powerful.
Prevention: The Key to Better Behaviour
When working with puppies, the goal is simple: never allow unwanted behaviours to become habits in the first place.
If a puppy never rehearses behaviours like barking, chasing, or jumping, those behaviours are far less likely to develop into long-term problems.
The same principle applies to adult dogs—if you stop the behaviour from happening consistently, it will gradually lose strength.
How to Stop Your Dog From Practicing Bad Behaviour
This is where management comes in.
Management means controlling your dog’s environment so they don’t have the opportunity to rehearse unwanted behaviours.
Examples of Simple Management
- Barking at the window: Keep your dog on leash or block access to the window when unsupervised
- Begging at the table: Do not feed from the table and guide your dog to a designated place
- Jumping on people: Use a leash to prevent jumping before it happens
By consistently preventing the behaviour, you break the cycle of repetition.
Does This Always Work?
In many cases, reducing or eliminating practice can significantly improve behaviour.
However, some behaviours—especially those driven by fear, anxiety, or high arousal—may require additional training beyond management.
Management stops the behaviour from getting worse. Training changes the underlying cause.
Sometimes, improving your dog’s behaviour really does start with something simple: don’t let them practice what you don’t want.
By combining smart management with consistent training, you can create lasting changes and prevent unwanted habits from taking hold.
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How to Fix Leash Reactivity
by The Crunchy Canine | Aug 12, 2018 | Puppy Training
What does leadership mean to you? Lately, the term leadership has gotten a bit of a bad rap from the “purely positive” crowd. Somehow it has developed a connotation of dominance and harsh discipline.
However, if you look up the definition of leadership this is what you will find;
lead·er·ship
ˈlēdərˌSHip/
noun
the action of leading a group of people or an organization.
“different styles of leadership”
| synonyms: | guidance, direction, control, management, superintendence, supervision |
Nowhere in that definition does it talk about anything unpleasant. Even the words dominance and discipline don’t need to be negative, but that is for another post.
So how does being a leader translate into your relationship with your dog? It is simple. Be someone who you yourself would want to follow. So lets break it down given that definition above…
Give your dog guidance. Your dog is an animal, a predatory animal. He is not born knowing how to navigate this human world as a pet. Guide him, teach him, and show him how to behave as a pet dog. Give your dog direction. This means teach him right from wrong. Communicate to him when he is doing something right, and when he is doing something wrong. This does not mean physical corrections (though sometimes it can), but simply disagreeing with a behaviour will often be enough. Control and manage your dog. Put him on a leash until he can be trusted without it and crate train your dog until he no longer requires it. You don’t need to control every tiny aspect of your dog’s life, but through control and management you will be able to stop them from practicing unwanted behaviours. Supervise your dog. If you cannot supervise, then crate him. Supervision means that you can guide, give direction, control, and manage your dog. When there is no supervision your dog is left to make his own choices (which with young dogs is often a choice we do not like).
All of that combined with being calm, clear and confident is what makes a good leader.
If you are struggling with your dog’s behaviour, sit down and honestly evaluate your role in your dog’s life and whether your provide them with calm, and clear leadership!
We can help you become the leader your dog needs! Contact us today info@thecrunchycanine.ca
by The Crunchy Canine | Aug 12, 2018 | Puppy Training
- Actually teach your dog what the word “come” means. Put a leash on, say “come” and then reel your dog in to you and reward. Rinse and repeat MANY, many times in several different situations (all with the leash on).
- Don’t over use it, particularly when you don’t mean it. When you use “Come” all the time, dogs stop paying attention. For example, when you are walking your dog and they are sniffing the ground, don’t say come unless you are going to do a formal recall. Use “let’s go” or something similar.
- Never chase your dog. EVER. Only give the command when you can enforce it so practice on-lead until the dog is reliable.
- Don’t repeat the command. Say it once and then make it happen.
- Only give the command if you can enforce it. For example, if your dog is not fully reliable yet, do not unleash at the dog park and start using the “come” command. This will only teach your dog that the word “come” doesn’t actually have any meaning.
- Never punish your dog for not coming. You can give a leash correction for non compliance when the dog is ignoring you but once they get to you (or you to them), you must stay positive and reward.
If you want a dog who can be trusted off leash in any environment, contact us today! Email us at info@thecrunchycanine.ca
