Petsmart nightmare

[Eva and Fenway]

Hey everyone, 

 

It's been a while since I've posted in here now that classes have started up again. I had a weird experience though, and wanted to see if this was common or if I am just really unlucky. 

 

So, because it's summer in Arizona (I'm pretty much unable to take her anywhere after 9am), I've been taking Fenway once a week to doggie day camp at petsmart for socialization and play time. She has been doing wonderfully at home with me as a result of this play time. Yesterday I got a phone call from them saying she'd been in a fight. I guess she was trying to play with one dog, who found her too 'puppy-like', and he corrected her as older dogs do (this is fine, and part of why I send her there). Unfortunately, another dog saw this and immediately attacked Fenway biting her aggressively. The staff obviously broke it up immediately and banned the aggressor (whose owner is paying for my bills). Fen has a puncture on her leg though, which had to have a drain put in and xrays to make sure no bones were involved. Now she's got a cone and meds and this all seems a bit beyond the sort of nips or scrapes that I accepted as a risk of taking her to a day camp. 

 

 

My question, I guess, is whether anybody else has experienced something like this? Should I take her back? They really were very good about it and handled it professionally and appropriately, even giving me several free days and coming to pet her when I was leaving the vet that night. Still, she's a puppy and will play like one. I love what a single day of day-camp does for her, and she gets SO excited to go even the night before. I just wonder if this was a bad luck one-off, or a really common event?

 

PS - she's posing for the camera here, but has been breaking my heart all night and day with sad-eyes.   :)

[Eva and Fenway]

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Wow what a terrible day for poor Fenway! I don't know if I would stop sending her if she loves it, maybe the staff will be even more attentive now that something like this has happened. One bad Apple shouldn't spoil it for the whole bunch though right? I always worry about Parker too because he is definitely a giant puppy and does get picked on occasionally at the dog parks and stuff but I am right in there before someone else's dog hurts mine...not sure why people with aggressive dogs bring their dogs to these places to inflict them on nicer dogs! I am glad that the owner of the other dog is paying your bills though!

[Eva and Fenway]

Thanks Katie! I have the same thoughts about it, and that dog will never be allowed back at the camp. It also seems they jumped in immediately to stop it from progressing. I have no idea why people bring their dogs to these things if they can't trust them, though. That's one expensive lesson to learn!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Does this Daycare do an evaluation of dogs (by a professional trainer or behaviorist) before they allow them to attend?

[Eva and Fenway]

Hi Jane, 

 

They do evaluate the dogs before they are allowed to attend but they also monitor them closely and update the owners if anything is concerning. They do not allow 'bully' breeds or other aggressive dogs. They all seemed very surprised (and the fact that the owner paid when she wasn't required to tells me something too) that this happened. 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I was also going to ask if they "tested" the dogs before they are allowed to attend.  Rooney and Stuart also attend day care at a dog resort - they go about 1 time a week and they LOVE it there.  So they test - Good but is the person testing qualified, do they actually ever tell someone "No your dog won't be allowed" or is it all about the money.  How do they group the dogs?  Are there different groups based on size and or age?  Rooney and Stuart are both kept in the puppy/small dog group although Stuart will  move on from there pretty soon.  I'm so sorry that this has happened, glad that the owner is stepping up by paying the bills but if it were me - I'd be looking for other day care places - to compare. 

[Eva and Fenway]

These are some great questions.. I am definitely going to do some research into other day camp options

[Becka]

I'm so sorry for poor Fenway! It sounds like everyone involved is being responsible and professional about it. If the aggressor has been banned, and Fenway really likes camp, and they've given you some free days, why not take her for a few hours as a test once she's all healed? From everything I've heard, PetSmart really is very on the ball about these things. Altercations between dogs do happen, but I agree with everyone here who doesn't understand why those owners continue to put their dogs in situations where they're going to cause trouble. This morning at the dog park a dog lost a tooth biting another dog (who was really minding his own business) and this was the second day in a row that dog has gotten into it with another dog.

[Janel and Sophia]

Poor Baby.  I have no insight  on your blog, but wanted to say how sorry I am for what happened to her.  Gives all of us puppy owners something to think about and Thank You for letting us know.

[Cathy w/Shiloh~Cody]

I am so sorry about your dog. I take my dog to daycare once or twice a week, and they match by

size and temperment. I had trouble at the local dog parks with so many dogs fighting that I thought

daycare would be better -because normally they are more socialized dogs. Plus at the dog park

they do nothing about the aggresive breeds when they act up. I would take the free time they

offered but do as someone else suggested-just a short amount of time and see how your dog

handles it, whether he still loves it or is stressed out. Stay within watching distance the first time

back if possible

[Lori]

What a horrible thing to have to go thru! I am sorry you had to deal with that - hoping Fenway is feeling better today!

[Mimi Linna, Lilly and Lolly]

oh no poor baby..is there a puppy day care that she can go to... thank goodness the wrokers were on their toes.