Doggie Daycare...Doggie Odors

[GregPDX]

Gracie (six month labradoodle) has now had her first two visits to an indoor dog park (also a doggie daycare for people who prefer to drop off their dogs for the day, etc,.  I stay there with her for one to two hours...she seems to have a great time. I find that I have to watch her (VERY) closely with some of the other bigger and more playful dogs, giving  her some time outs over in a quiet area before resuming play.  The big issue....her fur seems to "soak up" all those other dog odors.  Do any of you have what might be a "quick fix" for eliminating those odors on her once we get home, other than getting her into the tub for a bath?  

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

That doesn't sound right with Fidos sending you out to the play area alone with boarded dogs. I haven't been there in many months, but there were times when we had Lucy or Lucy and Oscar in the play area with lots of boarded dogs and no one else around. We had to play 'interference' on a couple occasions with dogs that hounded Lucy too much. I totally understand how you feel.

Thanks for the tip of Everything Canine. I hadn't even heard of them before. I'll look into it.

[Pat and Traveler]

Thanks, Debb!   I love the idea of an indoor dog park, in spite of doggie smells, but it was an uncomfortable experience, going during a week-day morning!  There were a lot of dogs there, and though none of them were being aggressive, it was just overwhelming for both me and Trav.  The dogs were interested in the new dog, and crowding around to get a sniff.  I was the only owner on site, and there was one 'ranger' trying to keep some of the dogs away from us, but it just wasn't a happy experience. 

[Julie and Charlie]

Yup: Fido's- great idea, poorly executed so far.

[Jen W]

Once after my pup came home from doggy daycare my nephew said, "she smells the goat exhibit at the zoo". And he wasn't wrong.

Thanks for posting, everyone's replies have been super helpful. I'm going to try one of those sprays for sure!

[GregPDX]

Besides the doggie odors that Gracie picks up during our visits to the indoor dog park, I'm also now wondering about any "bad" behaviors that she may pick up during our daily visits which are about an hour (maybe a little more sometimes).  I really have no experience with doggie daycare centers (this place, Fidos, is both a daycare where you drop your dog off for the day and an indoor park, where you are required to stay with your dog during the playtime).  Gracie is only six months old, and she LOVES going to this place...when we get to the main door, she can't get in fast enough!   She's a "mini" labradoodle, now only about 15 pounds...many of the other dogs there are bigger (some of them much bigger), and quite aggressive in their play.  I find that I have to stay with her the entire time while she's in the playground area.  She's extremely submissive, but yet so eager to play with any of them that will have her for a few minutes...many of the "older" dogs find her puppy play to be a nuisance and want nothing to do with her.  There are a few dogs there who have a highly aggressive play style...something that I really don't want Gracie to pick up on.  So, after only five visits, I'm thinking that I may keep her in the "puppy room" which seems to be empty much of the time, with only a short visit or two into the larger play area before we leave.   They've offered to let some of the smaller (calmer) dogs into the puppy room to play with her.  I'm also concerned about Gracie's going "backwards" on her house training...she sees and smells  all the other dogs peeing and pooping on the fake grass (which the rangers immediately try to clean up).  She has virtually "no" accidents here at home anymore, and I don't want to see her start doing her business in the house just because it seems like such a normal and happy thing to do at  an indoor play ground.  

One other observation...many of those dogs that spend all those hours in "daycare" seem quite delighted to be there...they rest, they play, they chase, etc., but there are a few (in my untrained opinion) that shouldn't be there.  They are not mingling with the other dogs, and seem very unhappy about the whole affair.  Yesterday, one small terrier spent the entire time trying to get me to pick him, get into my lap, etc. just to escape the activity of the other dogs.  I cannot say for certain that I would put Gracie into a day care setting where I go off and leave her, even for a few hours...there are just too many unknowns.  Maybe I'd feel more comfortable if there were "several" rangers on the floor with them.  Also, Gracie is still quite the puppy...I may feel much differently after she moves into adulthood.  

By the way, my "grapefruit" spray that I ordered from Costco works quite well...she gets a few sprays every time we  come home. 

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

I wouldn't leave my 2 there for daycare or boarding, either, but in all fairness, I have yet to feel comfortable leaving them anywhere alone (all our vacations include the doods).

As for potty training taking a backslide due to indoor pottying at the indoor dog park, it didn't happen with either if mine, but that doesn't guarantee it couldn't.

As I stated earlier, I don't believe Fidos has nearly enough supervision of the dogs in the park area. I, too, have seen dogs with way too much aggressive style of play for some of the more submissive dogs (mine included), with little to no concern/awareness of the staff.

The main thing I like about Fidos is that they are the only indoor dog park (that I'm aware of) in the Metro area, and during the rainy season it's a good alternative for getting the dogs out to run.

I'm glad you found a spray product that you're happy with. Personally, I'm so sensitive to that residual 'park' smell, that all I want to do when we return home is to completely eliminate it, and nothing beats shampooing it out.

[Julie and Charlie]

I wouldn't be concerned about this place un-house training Gracie. Dogs don't generalize very well, and as long as your house doesn't have those "potty" smells all over the place, she won't put two and two together and decide that the house is ok. This is why it works to train your dog to go in only one area of the yard. Even when left to his own devices, Charlie goes there.

As for behavior of the dogs in day care, I would look for a place that does an evaluation and looks at a few things. One, your dog needs to be comfortable in that environment and the other dogs needs to be comfortable with her. Two, that the people who work there are comfortable with your dog's temperament, and know when it's time to maybe "time out" or switch up the play groups.

And leaving your dog: mine loves the socialization with the other dogs and with other people. There are times when I have to leave him, including boarding, and he's totally fine when I pick him up. But that's all about individual dogs and their owners too :)

[Julie and Charlie]

And of course, you all know my feelings about Fido's already. I had to pick the right place and it took awhile.

[Stella]

The first time my LD went to stay at kennels, they bathed him before we picked him up. They said he had been rolling in mud outside, but they had used such a strongly floral scented shampoo that I wondered if it was to hide the 'kennel' smell as his bed and blankets smelled really bad. He smelled like an 80 year old lady!! As soon as we got home, I had to bath him again to get rid of the old lady smell!!