Puppies go through a critical socialization period between 8-16 weeks of age that impacts their behavior for the rest of their lives. Bringing your pup to play with us for dog daycare at Best Friends Fur Ever helps during this critical time by providing human and canine socialization in addition to activities that help to stimulate their growing brains.
Experiences puppies encounter between 8-16 weeks of age become normal and accepted to the puppy, which is why Best Friends Fur Ever takes pups of all ages with age appropriate shots.
Socializing your dog at a young age can also help to create a stronger immune system. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) feels so strongly about this issue that they published a statement on puppy socialization in 2008 stressing that owners should be introducing their puppies to new places, people and other dogs prior to completing their vaccination series.
All puppies that come to Best Friends Fur Ever before 16 weeks of age, are placed into our Mutt MasterMindsSM program to ensure they receive plenty of exercise, age-appropriate stimulation and experiences throughout their stay with us. This program also assists with crate training and potty training your pup.
The Mutt MasterMinds program provides 3 to 4 exercise sessions for day visits daycare and 4 to 5 sessions for pups that board with us. In addition, dogs receive one Mutt MasterMinds session that includes brain teasers, sensory games, and dog agility exercises. These sessions challenge them mentally and provide tiring stimulation. Additionally, our guests receive a 15-minute one-on-one session that includes the parents’ choice of activity.
Whether you have a new puppy or an older dog, we offer a variety of training options aimed at enriching the lives of dogs and the people who love them. For more information on our socialization and training programs, visit www.bestfriendsfurever.com.