As daycare for dogs becomes a normal 'thing' in our culture, we've begun to see that not only can this experience be enriching for a dog that was once bred to work guarding a family, on farms, or help their hunting families, but we're also beginning to question how daycares are structured for all dogs...in particular...little dogs.
To understand why we might consider a daycare specially for little dogs, it's important to understand the origin of the 'toy' dog breeds. In summary, little dogs were bred specifically to offer humans companionship. Unlike their larger cohorts bred for labor, toy (little) breeds job was - literally - to sit on a human lap and be loving (separation anxiety), devoted to their human (human resource guarding) and maintain looking like a baby dog for the entirety of their life (because we like baby any things). While each toy breed has genetics of a variety of larger breeds, their desire for human comforts is great!
So how does this relate to daycare? A little dog needs a different kind of daycare room, a different kind of handler approach, and a different size everything! Hint: it involves couches and plenty of leisure spots.
Although we are catering to the toy breed's historic purpose, we also must acknowledge that we're in the 21st century and our expectations of our little dogs has also changed. They may need to go to daycare for a myriad of reasons, they may also struggle with their new roles in the 21st century. Most homes/families no longer have a 'lady of the house' just hanging out all day with a small dog keeping her company. Simply putting them in standard daycare without considering their temperament and genetic predisposition could end up creating a dog that is more anxious and fearful than before they entered daycare. This is where breed specific enrichment becomes very valuable.
Most of us are familiar with the stereotypes of little dogs: feisty, overly protective, and fearful (you can also add in 'loud' but that's just a byproduct of the prior mentioned stereotypes). If you were 15 lbs soaking wet in a world of giants you would be too! Little dogs need opportunities to build confidence and courage just as much, if not more so, than larger dogs. A daycare specifically designed for little dogs can provide opportunities to build confidence and courage, make new friends, and learn that they will be okay away from their preferred human...at least for a little while. Enabling littles to experience this type of daily enrichment can have the potential to solve many behavioral issues, creating a far more satisfying family life and perspective of the world.
If you have a little dog in your family, first off, you're so lucky! They may be small but their capacity for love and loyalty is tremendous! Second, consider finding ways to help them feel secure within themselves and their own abilities. I've seen the tiniest of dogs run a room like nobody's business. Finally, if your little needs to have somewhere to stay while you're tending to life, be sure they understand the needs of a little dog and can provide a nurturing environment in which to grow into the awesomeness that is a little dog!
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