13/04/2026
I’ll tell you a secret and a story
You can’t trust what you see online. I understand how anxiety inducing it can be to leave your dog somewhere, especially for the first time - so here is where we need to take extra steps
All my clients get sent several updates during the day, photos, videos, full run downs, where we went, what’s been happening … I can’t imagine wondering how your dog is going all day long?
I recently had a client bring her dog to me who had just attended another small dog daycare where she ‘did not not fit in’ ~ allegedly
I was told this dashy could be nervous but eventually settles, so I said bring her for a trial day and we will see how we go
An hour in, monitoring the new dog, assessing her behaviour and body language, I knew this dog had recently been through something traumatic. She was not anxious, she was fearful, on her toes, on edge, and clinging to me like nothing else
I sent a million updates with video/photo/behaviour breakdowns to my client and actually asked her ‘is this dog reactive as she’s occasionally snapping at the others and so I’m keeping her separate with me for now’
The owner was shocked, no she isn’t, I even take her to the dog park - she was mortified and stressed, I reassured her not to worry, that I’ve dealt with this kind of thing for over a decade and she will be safe until picked up
At pick up I asked what had happened between her last park visit and coming here for such a dramatic change in behaviour - the other small doggy day care.
I said I need as much detail as possible so we can work out how we can support *dogs name* to get past this. That’s when she told me ‘there are no details’ … I said… well .. surely there is something? Who what when where why… and all my client was told was ‘the other dogs could tell she was weak and ganged up on her so we had to crate her all day’ … sorry but what the actual hell…
No photos. No video. No contact during the day. Just this vague story at pick up and now a newly anxious/fearful dog.
My heart broke for her because I know this can lead to lifelong trauma in some cases - especially after being bullied and then locked in a cage (more in comments)
