# Sudden fear of doggy day care?!



## Kristend (Apr 20, 2012)

Hi Guys,
My beautiful 3 year old v Abby has been going to doggy day care since she was about 6 months old. All of a sudden she is really scared to go! She knows when she is going and she runs away from me, doesn't want to get in the car and is trembling on the way there. I asked the girls about it and they said she is fine during the day.

This morning was the worst, when I walked her in there she was trembling and then when I went to leave she went pulling after me (she was on lead - held by the dog day care person). She looked so frightened! The only thing I can think of is that I asked them to clip her nails a few months back and that's around the time she started acting like this. Do you think I should pull her out and find somewhere else? Or do you think there might be some way she can regain her confidence there? 

Any thoughts/suggestions would be great!


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## chilithevizsla (Apr 2, 2014)

I would definitely say it is possible to be connected to the nail trimming. Some dogs HATE the process and they're sensitive dogs. It just shows how damaging negatively reinforcing our pups can be!

How long is it since the incident happened?
Does she get in the car other times with no problems? If that's the case I'd try and drop her off at a different time than usual, make it a really positive experience and put her in a covered crate or trunk so she can't see where she's going. When she gets there lots of praise and maybe go in with her to reassure her everything is ok. You may need to do this a few times for it to have any effect.

I certainly wouldn't let them clip her nails again, not necessarily because they did it wrong but because you don't want such a negative association with somewhere she goes often, and definitely don't do it at home if she's having this sort of reaction. You can go to a groomers to get it done if she doesn't usually go so it's a place she rarely goes.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

If she is not scared to go other places, something happened to frighten her at daycare. Could have been the nail trimming, or something else. Sometimes its next to impossible to find out why.
Is there a way for them to have a camera on her for you to view through out the day, or you spend a day there with her. I would want to see first hand that she is fine. Day care is suppose to be a fun time for the dog, if its not I would look for a new place to take her.

I can't remember who it was on the forum, but their dog started having the same reaction to daycare. They trusted the dogs instincts, and quit using that daycare.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

TexasRed said:


> ...
> Day care is suppose to be a fun time for the dog, if its not I would look for a new place to take her.
> ...


Indeed! 

Worst case: she is spending her entire day in fear! The girls say she is fine, but that sounds fishy - why would she be so afraid and then be fine? 

Bob


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

I agree. I would look for another way for her to spend her day. Abby is trying to tell you something, even though she can't talk.

There's a place called Camp Bow Wow near where I live. They have web cams on 24/7 so you can check up on what your dog is doing. If I wasn't retired, that's the place I would use.


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## Kristend (Apr 20, 2012)

Thank you all for your advice, I really appreciate it! When I picked her up that evening they said she had seemed "overwhelmed" all day. I have decided I won't take her there anymore. Like you guys have said, it is supposed to be a day of fun for her! I am going to try another one close by which is run by a lady from home with just a few dogs per day. She might like that sort of environment better. Good idea about the groomer re. her nails too - she really hates getting them done!


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