Energy According to the Pack

One of the things our staff is very good at is running a safe and happy pack of dogs. Some might think that you would just put dogs together and they will be ok. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have spent over four years evaluating, balancing, moving around and retrying dogs to create our pack. We are able to successfully have 25 or more dogs to a group. Each dogs personality, energy, play style, thresholds and boundaries are taken into concideration. They are matched with similar dogs to create small play groups. These small groups are matched up to build a larger pack. If one dog comes into the pack with an elevated playstyle or energy it can throw off the entire group. All of the other dogs may rise to meet this energy, or they may try to correct this dog for being elevated.

Dogs pay lots of attention to energy...each others and ours. Dogs will naturally rise to meet the higher energy. Take this into consideration when training and living with your dog. If you have lower energy than your dog and are patient, you will see your dog mimic your energy and relax. This comes in very handy when doing introductions and raising a puppy in general!

Look for your dog to "shake off" like when he comes in from the rain. This is how dogs release tension and excess energy. Praise your dog for shaking off, he's trying to lower his energy!

Happy Holidays everyone and thank you for bringing your pups to visit, play and have fun with us at YLD!

A tired dog lives with a happy family,
Mike

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This is Bailey G. According to his mommy, "He is the sweetest, most loving puppy in the entire world." She was standing over me when I wrote that so it is the complete truth. He actually is a very cute cockapoo.

Relax...this is what an afternoon playing session during the heat of the day. Baxter is wearing white, Tsuki is wearing pink, Zoe is wearing brown and Ladybird is absorbing the sun's rays while wearing black.

Have a great day.
Peace,
Wendy

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Maggie Mae and Sassy love to play together. They have the same exuberant play styles and they usually visit on the same days. They are really great friends!

This is Baxter looking at the camera with very soft eyes. Next to him (but much shorter) is Lexi F. She is a little bit of a yorkie. Behind them is Salem with her holiday sweater keeping her warm. What cuties!
This is Roxy H. We fondly call her Roxy B-soxy because she is a basenji mix. Roxy is a sweetheart and has been visiting YLD for approximately 2 years. She is a handful and is in the middle of "teenagerhood"!

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This is Casey B after a morning and afternoon of play. She is a 12 year old lab mix who visits each week because she still has so much energy. Casey likes to stand in front of her mom and dad and bark to notify them it is time for a daycare visit. We love old lady Casey!



Zoey, the little grey schnauzer, is asking Sherman, the bichonpoo, if he'd like to play. We can also see the rear half of Zoey's brother - Dexter. This was taken in the late afternoon is everyone has lower energy levels by that time. They did chose to turn and run around after this photo was snapped. We thoroughly love these little guys!



Since we're talking about loving dogs here are some of our favorite antics with specific dogs.


Jon likes to hold Daisy S. a corgi and pretend she is a guitar. The Daisy Duo as we like to call them! They both have fun. Jon because he likes to ham it up for the camera and Daisy 'cause she's getting love and attention!







Jim S. holding Sanford our favorite dacshund and "playing" Sanford as a violin. Sanford goes stiff when you pick him up and will just lie against whomever is holding him. Sanford gives Jim kisses before being put back on the ground.





Finally we have Lauren holding Sanford. He visits YLD very often and he really enjoys being held. We care for him and all the other like they are our own.

Well, have a wonderful wet day.
Peace,
Wendy

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Wrigley - also know as Wiggly because he is very wiggly - is a young male golden approximately 13/14 months old. He's been visiting YLD two to three times a weeks since he was 7 months. Wrigley came to his owner through the Neuse River Retriever Rescue - a great bunch of people and a great organization!







Here's Lexie doooooooodle! Yup, she's a small golden doodle approximately 12 months. Lexi has been with YLD daycare since she was 4 months or so. She is a sweetheart but (as her mom testifies and we concer) Lexie has a HUGE capacity to get very dirty very quickly. Today she somehow got poop on the top of her head! Lexie and I had a chat while I was washing her off about proper girl behavior. :)




This photo was taken at the request of a client. This is Violet, my sister's cavalier king charles spaniel. On her way to the door to go home Violet somehow got the hoodie of her "coat" over her head. At this point she stopped moving because she couldn't see where she was going. Poor Violet. Let's say she's not the brightest bulb in the pack but she sure is the sweetest!

Violet was not harmed and I immediately moved the hoodie off her head after the photo was taken.



Here's Mike hanging the with larger dog group. We also call it the "bottom" group. This has nothing to do with intellect but with location. The area is below the "top" group play area. Anyway, the dogs love Mike as this picture portrays. We have Moose (white boxer), Ladybug (golden), Lila (yellow lab) and Misty (tricolor mix). It's obvious that Mike is a valuable commodity! We love our pack members!



I often have more photos of the larger dogs because I tend to supervisor that play group. If you wonder why it's because my own three dogs tend to play in that group. Anyway, I did have some time to photograph the smaller dog group. Here is Lexi F. and Sherman. Sherman is a bichonpoo and Lexi is a yorkie. They both had a great time this visit in that there were about 20 little dogs. Lexi has been visiting every week for about 6 months while Sherman had taken a hiatus and is now back in the pack.



Well, enough for today. Have a great evening and I hope you all are almost prepared for the holiday.
Peace,
Wendy

Photos

I've been feeling really good about this new camera. It takes pretty good photos. Now I just have to find the time to sit down and send them out to deserving parents via email. Finding time is not any easier for me than it is for most of you. So, here are some more photos that I'll try to get out tonight. If not, enjoy them here on the blog for now.

Peace,

Wendy

Leo taking a moment from play to contemplate why Mike, Jim and Jon where so wrapped up in clothing...

This is Scout. Here at YLD she is known as Beagle Scout. Her names are both very appropriate. She's a great beagle and she's the best at scouting out hidden lizards, frogs and other creepy crawly things.

Chance McG. is a young, handsome golden. As a whole the golden retrievers are the goofiest players of our pack. They take from three to five years to mature fully!

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As I said this AM - it was a cold, cold morning but that made most of the dogs very frisky. I was able to get some photos of the morning play session so here they are with captions!

Here's Toby trying to get Tsuki to play with him. Tsuki doesn't look too sure about that.

Moose, the large white boxer flapping his ears, wants to play with Toby and Chuck while Daisy (the corgi) watches.

Here's Sawyer trying to interest Maddie A in some play while Chuck takes a break.

Finally, some of the dogs take a break to drink icy cold water. There is Chuck, Maddie A, Bentley, Cammie and Bailey G. Fun was had by everyone!

Have a great evening.

Wendy