Not every dog enjoys spending the day in a large group of dogs—and that doesn’t mean daycare isn’t right for them. Individual dog daycare can offer one-on-one attention, enrichment, outdoor activity, brain games and carefully selected social opportunities without requiring participation in large-group play. At Best Friends Fur Ever, Play My Way gives dogs in Maryland another way to enjoy daycare.
Your Dog Doesn’t Have to Love the Party
We need to clear something up. Not loving a big group of dogs does not automatically make your dog antisocial, difficult or a daycare failure.
Some dogs love the party. Some dogs would like to leave the party immediately. Some dogs like three guests, but absolutely did not approve the full invite list.
Sound familiar?
Dogs have different personalities, play styles, energy levels and social preferences. A dog who doesn’t thrive in large-group Social Play may still love activity, enrichment, outdoor time and attention from people.
That’s why daycare doesn’t have to mean group play.
If you’re just beginning to explore your options, our guide to dog daycare in Maryland explains the different ways dogs can spend their day at BFFE.
What If My Dog Doesn’t Like Group Daycare?
First, it doesn’t necessarily mean your dog doesn’t like other dogs.
Some dogs enjoy canine friends but prefer smaller or more carefully selected interactions.
Some love toys more than playgroups.
Some would choose a good sniff around outside over wrestling with another dog.
And some dogs would pick quality time with a favorite human every single time.
A dog shouldn’t have to love a large playgroup to have a good daycare day.
For dogs who thrive with canine friends, BFFE offers Social Play.
For dogs who may prefer a different experience, there’s Play My Way.
Meet Play My Way: An Alternative to Group Dog Daycare
We created Play My Way because we don’t believe every dog should be required to enjoy the same kind of daycare.
Instead of building the day around participation in a large social group, Play My Way gives our team the flexibility to build activities around the individual dog.
Fetch?
Absolutely.
Treat puzzles and brain games?
Let’s go.
Scent work?
Put that nose to work.
Outdoor exploration?
There’s a lot to investigate out there.
A carefully chosen canine friend?
Maybe.
Quality time with a human?
Some dogs would choose that every single time.
A Play My Way day can include one-on-one caregiver attention, outdoor activity, enrichment, agility, puzzles, scent work and opportunities to rest based on what engages the individual dog.
The point isn’t to recreate group daycare with fewer dogs.
It’s to give the individual dog a day they can actually enjoy.
Does My Dog Need to Pass a Temperament Test for Play My Way?
No. Play My Way does not require BFFE’s traditional Social Play temperament evaluation because dogs aren’t required to participate in a large playgroup.
That creates another daycare option for dogs who may not be suited to—or simply may not enjoy—large-group Social Play.
Play My Way can also accommodate unaltered dogs over seven months old, who aren’t eligible for BFFE’s Social Play program.
Instead of asking:
“Does my dog fit daycare?”
We’d rather ask:
“What kind of daycare fits my dog?”
Is Individual Dog Daycare Only for Dogs Who Don’t Like Other Dogs?
No.
And that’s an important distinction.
A dog can like other dogs and still prefer a different kind of daycare day.
Play My Way may be worth exploring for dogs who:
- Prefer people or toys to large groups
- Are socially selective
- Become overwhelmed in busy group environments
- Love puzzles, scent work and enrichment
- Have high toy drive
- Benefit from more individualized attention
- Are unaltered and aren’t eligible for Social Play
- Simply seem happier doing their own thing
There doesn’t have to be anything “wrong” with a dog for individual daycare to be a better fit.
Sometimes it’s just a preference.
What If My Dog Used to Love Social Play?
Dogs change, too.
Maybe your dog loved big playgroups when they were two.
Now they’re seven and would really prefer everyone to get out of their personal space.
We understand.
Energy changes.
Preferences change.
Social tolerance can change.
What a dog enjoys at one stage of life may not be what they enjoy forever.
Good care should be able to change with them.
That’s one reason BFFE offers multiple daycare experiences. Social Play may be right for one dog—or one stage of a dog’s life. Play My Way may be right for another.
And as dogs age or develop mobility or other support needs, Assisted Canine Care offers another way for senior, aging and differently abled dogs to continue enjoying daycare at a pace that works for them.
Your dog doesn’t have to fit one daycare model for their entire life.
Can a Reactive or Aggressive Dog Go to Daycare?
It depends on the individual dog, their behavior and the type of daycare environment.
A dog who isn’t comfortable or appropriate in a large social group may still have other care options. But individual daycare does not automatically mean that every dog with a history of aggression or unsafe behavior is appropriate for daycare.
Safety—for your dog, other dogs and our team—always comes first.
Because Play My Way doesn’t require participation in large-group Social Play, it can provide another care option for some dogs who aren’t suited to a traditional social-play environment.
If you’re unsure about your dog, talk with our team. We can learn more about their behavior, preferences and needs and help determine an appropriate place to start.
Individual Dog Daycare in Baltimore & Harford Counties
Looking for individual dog daycare or an alternative to large-group dog daycare in Maryland? Play My Way is available at both Best Friends Fur Ever resorts.
Our Joppa resort offers Play My Way for families in Joppa, Bel Air, Abingdon, Edgewood, Aberdeen and communities throughout Harford County.
Our Cockeysville resort offers Play My Way for families in Cockeysville, Timonium, Towson and surrounding Baltimore County communities.
Both locations give pet parents another daycare option when a large social group simply isn’t the right fit.
Because your dog doesn’t have to fit daycare.
Their daycare should fit them.
Think Your Dog Might Prefer to Play Their Way?
Explore Play My Way to learn more about BFFE’s individualized approach to daycare, enrichment and one-on-one attention.
Not sure whether your dog sounds more like a Social Player, a Play My Way dog or could benefit from another BFFE care experience?
Take our Find Your Dog’s Perfect Day quiz to find a good place to start.