WHY IS A TEMPERAMENT TEST IMPORTANT?
Dogs thrive in environments where they feel safe and comfortable. Our Temperament Test helps us:
- Promote Safety: Identify any potential behavioral risks and ensure all dogs can interact harmoniously.
- Foster a Positive Experience: Evaluate social compatibility to minimize stress for your dog and others.
- Maintain Our Standards: Ensure we can provide the high level of care and freedom your dog deserves without the need for isolation.
By taking this proactive step, we prioritize the well-being of your pup and the entire DogCity community.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE TEMPERAMENT TEST
Before the Test
The process begins with a review of your application, including your dog’s history and behavior.
We kindly ask to share any previous experience in other daycares, parks, or social interactions that might be useful to understand any background. On the form, please include the vaccination requirements.
Filling the application form takes about 10 minutes and helps us learn more about your dog to ensure a smooth transition. Once the review is complete, we will reach out to schedule the visit.
During the Test
The test typically lasts 2–3 hours and includes the following steps:
- Introduction: We start with a brief conversation with you about your dog. This is also an opportunity to get to know you and your goals.
- Wrangler Handling: As we have the introduction, we will handle, pad, and instruct your dog to get a sense of how he reacts to a stranger leading. We are seeking for sensitivities and the current level of training.
- Initial Pack Introduction: At this point we will bring your dog to the group, yet we will introduce him/her to other dogs one at the time, when the sniffing galore starts. We are seeking for any reactivity, reading the behavior cues to see the level of comfort on these social interactions.
- Pack Integration: Once ready, your dog joins the main play area to interact with the full pack while being carefully monitored by our trained staff. The first 5 minutes are critical, after that, we look for how social bonds are built.
- Final Behavior Assessment: We observe body language, posture, and overall interactions to assess compatibility with the pack. Ultimately, most dogs are a pass, but there are two main reasons dogs don't pass:
- Need for more space: if your pup needs more energy release and the space is not enough, they can push the energy of the pack to limits that can cause altercations. In this cases, we'd recommend either including slatmill sessions as part of the regular service or seek for a bigger space than our facility can provide.
- Social Anxiety: some dogs are not comfortable with others - they are human dogs more than dog dogs. Their instinctive fight or flight is delicate among other dogs and are easily triggered by noise, or other dogs playful behaviors.
This process ensures a smooth integration and allows us to identify any behavioral challenges early on.
After the Test
Once the evaluation is complete, we’ll share the results with you:
- If your dog passes, they’ll be added to our system, granting them full access to our daycare. Boarding services require at least 3 daycare visits in the prior 90 days before boarding, including at least once in the last 30 days, to ensure they are suited for a kennel-free boarding setting.
- If we determine your dog needs additional training to safely join the pack, we’ll provide guidance and recommendations to help them succeed.
Our goal is to create the best possible experience for your dog, whether they’re with us for daycare, boarding, or both.
FAQ
Our Temperament Test is an evaluation of your dog’s social skills and behavior to ensure they’ll thrive in our daycare or boarding environments. It’s a critical step to ensure the safety and happiness of all dogs in our care.
DogCity is a kennel-free facility where dogs play and interact freely. The test ensures your dog can engage positively with others and adapt to our social environment.
The test fee is $20 and is non-refundable. However, if your dog passes and you purchase a daycare package on the same day, we’ll waive the fee!
Temperament Tests are conducted Monday through Friday by appointment between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Contact us to schedule your test, and remember, earlier appointments help your dog acclimate faster to the pack!
If your dog needs additional training or isn’t suited for group settings, we’ll provide personalized feedback and recommendations. We want every dog to have the best chance to succeed.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Scheduling your dog’s Temperament Test is simple:
- Fill out our online application form, once we receive it, we will reach out to schedule the temperament test.
- Send us your completed vaccination records to ensure everything is ready for your visit.
Our team is here to answer your questions and make the onboarding process as smooth as possible. Let’s help your dog find their place in the DogCity pack!