Imagine going through your day without knowing what comes next. Stressful, right?

The same applies to dogs. For dogs, a predictable routine can provide a sense of security in an unpredictable world, helping them feel more comfortable, settled, and confident. Without routine, dogs can become more anxious and stressed than dogs with a consistent routine.

A routine doesn’t have to be a rigid regime, it can be simple and easy. There are 4 elements for creating a dog’s routine: Meal times, exercise/enrichment activities, rest periods and bathroom breaks.

Creating a routine that’s too rigid will be counterproductive and possibly lead to anxiety for your dog. For example, if you always feed your dog breakfast at exactly the same time, your pet is going to get antsy if you occasionally decide to sleep in.

Instead of building your routine around a specific time, prioritize creating consistency around your pet’s exercise and where your dog eats their meals because dogs can become rigidly dependent on exact timeliness.

The core of creating a routine for your dog is outlining clear expectations and avoiding contradicting rules. If you don’t want your dog on the couch, always enforce that and when creating a routine for your dog, make sure it’s consistent with all members of the household. Dogs will be confused if one person lets the dog sleep on the couch and then another person gets frustrated with the dog for being on furniture.

Daycare can provide all of these elements on a regular schedule. Here at Dogtopia of North Portland, we touch on all 4 elements of a balanced routine in one day. Our daycare services are designed to support and maintain your dog’s daily routine, even when you can’t be there to do it yourself.

Meal Times

At Dogtopia of North Portland, we have a lunch and rest period from 12PM to 2PM daily. This not only gives the dogs a chance to eat, but also provides an opportunity for them to rest in between open-play sessions. For puppies, this is the perfect opportunity to schedule one of their 3-4 meals they should be having daily, while for adult dogs it provides a chance for them to have an enrichment activity, such as a lick mat or a kong.

Rest Periods

In addition to resting during lunch time, during open-play if a dog is overly aroused or simply needs a break, we utilize our homestyle crates to give dogs the rest they need during the day. This is especially great for puppies who need an average of 16 hours of rest per day, but also perfect for our more senior dogs who have less energy.

Exercise & Enrichment Activities

Our daycare practices an open-play model, which means that all dogs can play as long as they want without obstruction. If play looks unsafe, our certified Canine Coaches intervene to redirect and later reintroduce dogs to each other to create a positive experience for all dogs in the playroom. During open-play, Dogtopia dogs get an average of 60,000 steps, or 25 miles, a day. Some dogs can achieve as high as 100,000 steps a day depending on their temperament. Additionally, our certified Canine Coaches practice different enrichment activities with the dogs throughout the day to keep their minds engaged while their bodies are active.

Bathroom Breaks

At Dogtopia of North Portland, all dogs use the restroom in the playrooms and our certified Canine Coaches clean-up and disinfect the area using enzyme-based cleaning products so that it’s safe for dogs and humans. We encourage dogs to use the restroom as they need, so if they have a regular bathroom schedule at home, they can still achieve the same routine in daycare. Dogs rely on scent more than humans do and because of this they know the difference between using the restroom at daycare and using the restroom at home. Think about a dog park: dogs smell not only the pheromones from other dogs, but also smell them using the restroom as well, which is what gives them permission to release themselves accordingly.

Dogs with regular daycare become better canine citizens as they create structure for themselves based off of their home routines, but also learn valuable skills from other dogs such as how to give a tell-off and how to regulate themselves. At Dogtopia of North Portland, we provide Weekly Wellness plans based on the consistency your pup needs while giving you the flexibility you need with your schedule. After about 3 visits, dogs become more comfortable and confident in the routine they’re creating, and start looking forward to daycare which benefits their long-term and overall health. Dogtopia dogs can live up to 2 years longer than other dogs due to the amount of exercise and enrichment they receive in our care, and who wouldn’t want their dog to live a longer, happier and healthier life,

Talk to one of our daycare representatives to enroll your dog in our daycare and create a better, structured routine for your dog’s everyday life.