A Day of Enrichment

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Structure

We wouldn’t describe our play as “structured play,” and do describe it as “free play” guided by our 7 Golden Rules of Play. Each day has a structure to it, to ensure every dog is given the right dose of exploration, play, rest, and new learning activities.

Systems

Everything we do has a process by which we achieve our successful results. For example, the integration of each dog into the group is guided by Doglando’s Traffic Light System; a method used to engage each dog (as an individual) with our play professors in a way they are able to demonstrate team work, trust and compliance.

Doglando’s inner-workings has been described as a “well oiled machine” by many. It’s all our systems that allow us to be organized, efficient and effective despite the differences between people and in dogs.

Support

Unlike the “free for all” experiences dogs get at dog parks and doggie daycare; through out the day, each dog is fully supported in their total wellbeing: mental, emotional, physical, nutritional intuitive and behavioral health.

Our team of highly learned, skilled and passionate play professors are intimately involved in giving your dogs the experiences of the 8 Spheres of Enrichment.

They give:

• guidance
• assistance
• encouragement
• reinforcement

…and provide meaningful interactions that strengthen the human-dog relationship, building trust and life long friendships.

A General Breakdown Of A Day At Doglando

Ninety percent of our day is spent outdoors, on our beautiful 6-acre, nature-rich campus.

Dogs enrolled in our Enrichment program begin to arrive between 7:30am – 8:30am (no later, unless scheduled). Upon arrival, each dog’s morning routine is based on their position in the Doglando Traffic Light System. “Red” and “Amber” dogs are worked out individually, while “Green” and “Blue” dogs are led into the group.

Our typical morning is spent in Nature Play with the dogs hiking through woods, swimming in the pond, wading through the marsh, and running up and down the dirt mound, “Mount Doglando”.

After lunch, the dogs are divided into two groups: youth and adults in one, and puppies in the other. This allows us to engage with dogs in both groups in different ways.

For the puppies, the afternoon consists of body awareness exercises and an introduction to our 8 Non-Negotiable exercises, including practice of gate exercises, swimming, and cradling.

For our youth and adult dogs, the afternoons are reserved to keep them sharp on obedience, heat checks, recalls, group herding, individual herding, gate exercises and the 8 Non-Negotiables.

Our end-of-day routine begins between 2:15pm and 2:30pm, at which time each dog is prepared to go home. Following our Dry Off System (using a no-heat groomer’s dryer), each dog is grouped in one of ten groups, and one at a time, they are blown off and brushed out.

The purpose of drying off each dog is to:

1. inspect the dogs for fleas, ticks, scrapes, scratches, rashes, wounds, scars, hotspots, and irritations
2. keep their skin and coat clean and free of sand, pollen, and debris
3. use this as an opportunity to teach them to cooperate when in situations that require physical handling, such as at the groomer or vet

Experience Doglando

There is so much more to our day than we can write about here! To learn more about a day in the life of a Doglando dog, it’s best to experience it for yourself, and see it in action.