Shady Orchard Dogs

Wondering what we look for during an assessment? 

• Overtly sociable/friendly behavior towards new/strange people. If your dog jumps up to say hi don't worry about it! That can actually be a good sign- all we care about is that your pup wants to say hi, and we can work on jumping etiquette later-;) Even if your pup isn't a social butterfly, that doesn't mean they aren't going to be a good fit. Shy dogs tend to do really well here!  However, there is a distinction between shy/friendly personalities and shy/reactive personalities. If your pup is shy/reactive towards new people or new dogs, then they are not going to enjoy this style of care and would do better in a more tailored setting.
  

• Sustained comfort and ease around other dogs without avoidance or obsession or discomfort We want to see a new pup be able to engage and disengage with all types of other dogs easily. We want them to be able to switch their focus away from another dog to check out the environment and to check in with us. If a dog is very safe and sociable, but needs a little coaching on how to politely interact with other dogs, or needs to build a little confidence with other dogs, we have lots of experience and enjoy helping them out with that! 

• A dog who prioritizes friendly behavior over everything else. We all know dogs that are friendly as long as... (fill in the blank) The dogs who are appropriate for our style of boarding are dogs who can experience any emotion, whether it be frustration, excitement, fear, pain, jealousy, possessiveness etc and still remain safe and sociable towards everyone around them. There is always the possibility of a toe getting stepped on or a piece of kibble being dropped, and because of that, every dog we borrow must be reliable under every possible circumstance.