A SOCIAL PUPPY IS A HAPPY PUPPY
Puppy Socials offered Thursdays, 6:30pm – 7pm
$15 per 30-minute session, per puppy
“Playgroup Certification Evaluation” complimentary during final Puppy Social session
Puppies develop into calm, well-adjusted, confident and engaged family companions by navigating through various stages of social growth and environmental challenges in a positive learning environment.
Your dog will gain social confidence by interacting with puppies 5 months and under during our monitored 30-minute, pre-registered playtime in Bark-A-Bout’s safe and secure play yard. Your puppy will have fun during our structured socialization program by meeting new friends, playing with toys and jumping on play equipment. Meanwhile, you will simultaneously learn proper play interactions from our professionally-trained, off-leash play expert that monitors and oversees each Puppy Social play session.
CONTROLLED AND PLEASANT EXPOSURE
Puppy Socials are aimed to provide controlled and pleasant exposure to many of the same experiences, people, and objects that your dog will likely encounter over the course of their lifetime. When dogs are adequately exposed in a positive manner to a wide range of sights, sounds, smells, textures, places, people, and animals, they will be better equipped to handle future exposure to novelty, recover from startling moments, and focus on you even with other dogs or distractions around. Your dog will be less likely to have separation-related behaviors, general anxiety, be distracted, or have body sensitivity. Overall they will be outfitted to maintain strong positive social relationships with people and other dogs.
Our Puppy Socials flow nicely with Bark-A-Bout’s group obedience classes or private lesson program. Puppy Socials give you additional time with our experts to learn to understand your dog’s individual play style.
5-MONTH OLD PUPPIES CAN EARN PLAYGROUP CERTIFIED STATUS
Once your puppy attends a minimum of two Puppy Social play sessions, during their 16-19 weeks of age you may opt to pre-register your puppy for a “PlayGroup Certification Evaluation” that will take place during their 5th month of age. During this evaluation, Bark-A-Bout’s off-leash play expert will evaluate your dog’s play style, personality and temperament. If your puppy passes their evaluation, they will obtain full “PlayGroup Certified Status” and bypass our required Meet~N~Greet Evaluation. This certification enables your dog to immediately enter Bark-A-Bout’s daycare program offered Mondays through Saturdays.
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FAQ’s
What are the age requirements to enroll my puppy in a Puppy Social session?
Puppies attending Puppy Social sessions must be at least 12 weeks old and be up to date on their vet’s suggested vaccination schedule.
How much does each Puppy Social session cost?
Each puppy may enjoy a 30-minute Puppy Social session for $15 per session. A pre-registered “PlayGroup Certification Evaluation” is complimentary during your puppy’s final paid Puppy Social session.
What will my puppy and I learn?
At this stage of a puppy’s mental development, it is important for you to gain your puppy’s trust. You will learn how to help your pup recover from startling moments, interact appropriately, and learn to focus on you even with other dogs and distractions nearby. Taking the time to teach your puppy about their new world in a calm and controlled environment teaches them that you will lead and protect them when they are scared. Your dog will socialize with other puppies and encounter new sounds, textures, people and novel objects that will help to build confidence to the world around them.
Training is continual and fun! Obedience is a lifestyle, not something that happens only when a leash is on.
What vaccinations are required for my puppy?
To ensure the safety of all dogs participating in Puppy Social, each puppy is required to be current per their vet’s vaccination schedule. *If your dog does pass the “PlayGroup Certification Evaluation” and wishes to enter Bark-A-Bout’s Daycare/Hotel, they will then be required to be fully vaccinated for the entire list below.
Bark-A-Bout highly recommends:
— Bordetella (Click here for non-negotiable waiting period requirements)
— DHLPP Distemper (Puppies should have a minimum of 2)
— A negative Fecal Screening
— 2 Influenza bivalent vaccines
Please submit all vaccine documentation prior to the start of your Puppy Social session by either uploading your documents to your dog’s “Customer Portal“, or by emailing them to medical@barkabout.net, or faxing them to (586)789-9711. Please include your pet’s full name and your contact information. Thank you!
For questions or assistance:
Please call up Bark-A-Bout at (586)566-8900 to speak to a fur’endly receptionist.
Why only 30-minute sessions?
Puppy Social sessions are structured to proactively take breaks and encourage healthy engagement and interaction at your pup’s own pace without causing over-stimulation. Learning takes time and a puppy’s brain needs time to process what it has received. In a science experiment training Beagles, according to Applied Animal Behavior Science Journal, dogs who were trained once or twice a week for short periods of time performed far better than those who were trained for long periods of time. If your puppy should get bored or frustrated, it will ultimately be counterproductive to learning.
How do I enroll my puppy for a "Puppy Social" session?
To enroll your puppy for a 30-minute Puppy Social session please log into your Customer Portal here or call up Bark-A-Bout at (586)566-8900 to speak to a fur’endly receptionist.
How do I pre-register for a "Playgroup Certification Evaluation"?
To schedule your puppy for a “Playgroup Certification Evaluation”:
To register for a “Playgroup Certification Evaluation”, your puppy must have attended two or more Puppy Social sessions.
Once your puppy meets 16-20 weeks of age, during your puppy’s second (or more) Puppy Social session, please inform Bark-A-Bout’s trained off-leash play expert that you intend to have your puppy evaluated for a “Playgroup Certification Evaluation”. This evaluation is aimed to take place during a future Puppy Social session when your puppy turns 5 months old, (21 to 24 weeks), and is complimentary during your paid Puppy Social session.
To schedule a “Playgroup Certification Evaluation” outside of a Puppy Social session, please call up Bark-A-Bout at (586)566-8900 to speak to a fur’endly receptionist.
What is the next step after my puppy passes their "PlayGroup Certification Evaluation"?
Congratulations!! After your puppy has received “Playgroup Certified Status” they will be required to be fully vaccinated before they can enjoy Bark-A-Bout’s Daycare or Hotel amenities.
– Distemper (2 doses)
– Fecal Screening
– Bordetella
– Rabies (for dogs 6 months or older)
– Canine Influenza H3N2/H3N8 Bivalent (2 doses)
Please visit here for more daycare/hotel vaccination requirement details.
Please submit all vaccine documentation prior to your dog’s daycare or hotel stay by either uploading your documents to your dog’s “Customer Portal“, or by emailing them to medical@barkabout.net, or faxing them to (586)789-9711. Please include your pet’s full name and your contact information. Thank you!
For questions or assistance, please call up Bark-A-Bout at (586)566-8900 to speak to a fur’endly receptionist.
What if my dog does not pass their "Playgroup Certification Evaluation"?
Puppies who have not attended two or more Puppy Social sessions by 20 weeks old, or failed to pass their “Playgroup Certification Evaluation” will be required to go through a traditional Meet~N~Greet Evaluation in order to attend Dog Daycare or enjoy Bark-A-Bout’s overnight Pet Hotel.
Reminder: Any dog that wishes to enter Bark-A-Bout’s Daycare program is required to be fully vaccinated:
Distemper (2 doses) | Fecal Screening | Bordetella | Rabies (for dogs 6 months or older) | Canine Influenza H3N2/H3N8 Bivalent (2 doses).
Please visit here for more daycare vaccination requirement details.
ENROLL IN A PUPPY SOCIAL SESSION TODAY!
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