2017 Daycare Games Competition

2017 Daycare Games

Sponsored by The Dog Gurus, The 2017 Daycare Games competition is an annual event of off-leash dog play attendants and pet centers.  It’s like the Olympics… but with dogs!

Dogs attending Daycare at Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort are scheduled on specific repeating days of the week. Dogs in Daycare Plus are scheduled to join in the off leash play as an activity while lodging. All dogs are qualified, friendly, social dogs that enjoy interaction with other dogs.  Our goal is that all dogs should be going home happy and healthy after activities at our facility. We also know we must be intentional about making this happen. A highly trained staff to monitor this play is essential.

 Who’s behind Daycare Games?

Daycare for dogs has grown since the late 1990s to become a viable industry of its own.  Whether specific to daycare only centers or facilities that include daycare as an activity, staff training and safety needed to be addressed. Step in The Dog Gurus. With over 20 years in the pet care industry, Robin Bennett and Susan Briggs share a passion for safe off-leash dog play.  They are advocates of safe interactions between dogs and people and between dogs and other dogs  Since the publication of their book Off-Leash Dog Play: A Complete Guide to Safety and Fun, they have spent time educating the pet industry on dog language and safe management of playgroups.  As off-leash play venues grew in popularity they focused their mission of training and safety by introducing the Daycare Games for centers worldwide.

What Are The Daycare Games?

Through competition, daycare staff demonstrate their dog leadership skills that make off-leash dog playgroups safe and fun! The Daycare Games is a great way to:

• Recognize staff that excel in safe off-leash dog play management
• Challenge staff to improve skills in a fun competition
• Show clients and prospects what sets your operations apart
• Benchmark the facility and staff’s proficiency against top industry peers across the world
• Earn bragging rights on placements standings for a year!

 Daycare Games Competitive Events

Competitive events are leadership exercises recommend by The Dog Gurus. The focus is on three skills to be used daily in managing dogs in off-leash playgroups.  The Daycare Games competition determines how a staff member’s skills compare to competitors in a facility’s class size and employee experience level. The three events are

• Dog Recall – A successful recall is when a dog that is at least 6 feet away from you responds to your cue within 3 seconds and comes close enough to you that you can pet the dog easily.
• Group Sit – Counting the number of dogs in the playgroup that will sit at the same time on cue with their rear touching the ground at the same time for 2 – 4 seconds.
• Gate Boundary – counting the number of dogs waiting calmly at the boundary line of your entry door/gate in a sit or standing position.

 2017 Daycare Games Participants

Our 2017 staff participants, Lauren Dunn, Paula Epps and Alan Flournoy, helped bring home an overall Silver Award plaque plus each received a Daycare Games Towel from Fondren 5 Star Pet Resort. These dedicated employees work each day to make the daycare experience fun and safe for your pet! Give off-leash play a try for your dog. A reservation specialist is waiting to speak to you about Daycare for your dog.