So Ghost has been going to doggy daycare since May, and about a month ago she quit playing with the other dogs for no apparent record. She had been known as the daycare wild kid, and would always be the one out playing and leading others in shenanigans (like teaming up with another Husky to pull down a tree). We took her in on Aug 14 as normal, and they noted in their log that she played for about 5 minutes and then went to lay down and watch everyone else. I took her to Chicago shortly thereafter and took her to the dog park by my parents several times and didn't note any unusual behavior, nor have we seen any with dog park trips since then. She's still her spaztastic little self at home too, so this seems very odd to us. We've been talking to the daycare folks and they have no idea what's up, but they said she did play a little when they took her inside yesterday. It's been hot, but it hasn't been spectacularly hot this summer and there really weren't any temperature changes around the time of her change.

Have any of you that have taken your dogs to daycare or worked in a daycare ever seen this? Like I said, she seems totally fine otherwise, but even the last couple of times she's been Aaron said she didn't want to go back to the play area. I think we're going to give her a break this coming week and just do extra playtime in the yard and extra walks.

No constructive input on this sorry Meredith, but all I can say is wow....

I know Tika is roughly the same age, I think a week apart, and if I noticed that at all I would be dumbfounded too.... I know it sounds super sappy and stupid.. but maybe she is just missing you guys? Maybe she is bored with the dogs there???

If she is her same normal self when your both around (even around other dogs), and there was no incident at daycare that would warrant a change in behavior I just can't see what it is....

Either way I'm sorry I can't help, just wanted to express I would be curious too if Tika suddenly started doing that as well...

Gladly following this thread

~Chris~

Sometimes the dogs just get very overwhelmed its a lot of continuous stimulation. Give it a break and see how it goes taking her back after. when my dogs come with me to work they play in spurts. Honestly most of the time they are lying down.

My dogs go to day care, and if I saw this I would ask if the dog mix has changed....who is new, who left, what's happening? My dogs pull, pull, pull to get into daycare - they looooove it! So if something changed, they may be bullied by another dog or something like that (Frosti is usually the bully - sigh - she plays super rough and expects it in return. Some dogs are fragile little creatures and hate it or take it "personally"). You can see on camera how a dog is slunk down in a corner looking somewhat dejected, or avoiding eye contact with some of the other dogs.

However, they have separate big dog play areas at our day care and can separate the dogs that aren't liking the rough play into another area. Usually that fixes the issue.

arooroomom wrote:

Sometimes the dogs just get very overwhelmed its a lot of continuous stimulation. Give it a break and see how it goes taking her back after. when my dogs come with me to work they play in spurts. Honestly most of the time they are lying down.

I agree with kristina. Some dogs we have we can get them outside but a lot of dogs don't really want to go and play there ALL the time. We have this husky that is crazy at home apparently and is like the calmest dog that lays there the whole time because she comes everyday. Well the owner took an week break and she was very playful yesterday.

maggie at doggie daycare is a different story. She is the calmest dog ever at home or at the dog park. I have gotten the words she never stops playing! I go um ya right! lol

Thanks guys. As far as we can tell, nothing at daycare has changed. They say it's still the same mix of dogs, and Ghost *is* sort of the daycare bully. She's the queen of playing rough, usually I have to call her off at the park because she's getting too rough. It's really weird. She only goes twice a week too. Anyway, we're going to go ahead and give her the week off next week, and then see how she does. She's still having major zoomies and wanting to play with Lulu (who wants nothing to do with her) at home.

I work at a dog daycare and bring my (now two) huskies everyday of the week. My oldest is now 18 months or so. When i brought him first at about 11 months he was always running and tumbling an playing, but not anymore. He now shows more or less the behaviour you are describing.

I've noticed several things that (combined?) make him stop doing his husky thing:

1. mix of dogs. Some dogs enter the field, Shiro ends his playtime and finds a good spot to stay out of trouble. Some dogs that he used to have fun with are now on his "must watch out list". Some dogs have entered his list just due to posturing, some through excessive play ..

2. Heat. Heat. Heat. He may look just fine. But really the heat. Winter will make things better.

3.repetition. My dogs go here every day of the week. for working-day-hours on end. I've seen that the dogs that visit daycare least have the most "fun". Fun being pent up energy and excitement that needs release. My dogs don't have the building tension anymore because daycare is like home for them. Not possible for them to go all crazy all the time. Dogs that visit most often behave more calm and more as if "at home". No zoomies all time. Finding spots to chill and rest. and so on.

4. Fear period? depending on how old your dog is she might be in a fear period.

Just thought I'd update this one. We gave Ghost a week off from daycare, and then took her back today to see how she'd do. She was a little nervous when Aaron dropped her off because they're doing on site construction, but when they let her out she was all about playing. She's blissfully passed out tonight

What Aaron did find out today, was apparently they weren't happy about her little digging habit, so they'd been having the dogs play in the gravel so she wouldn't try to dig to China. As far as we can tell, she doesn't like playing in the gravel. They let everyone back into the normal dirt/grass area today and just watched her like a hawk, and she was much happier about it. We shall see how this continues.