Are you willing to feed my dog at drop off?
Sure, as long as you can make it fast & simple so the other dogs aren't having to wait in a vehicle. This helps a lot of our clients with long work hours plus pet sitter type home help.
How far do you hike the dogs?
Seniors & those with joint/hip issues are grouped for soft meanders with lots of sniffs. Healthy, athletic adults cover a good distance which varies based on the hike difficulty/escalation and any heat factor. Puppy groups enjoy rotations of sprints with play breaks; their bones/ligaments are forming and damage can result from too-long hikes even on soft dirt trails.
Do you offer training?
Not as a stand-alone service, as this is best served by including your family instead of within a dog group. We usually complement professional trainers although we're happy to help you with single issues as a courtesy. CLUB dogs learn to relax in crates (transport), to greet us without jumping, to cease needless barking, to come when called off leash with a simple cue, and to "play pretty" with other dogs. They receive the important exercise they first need before being ready for training. If you need help getting on the right track for having a well mannered, attentive, and responsive puppy or dog, we are happy to refer you to a professional dog trainer who will work with your family as well as your pooch.
Isn't 4-1/2 months too early for my puppy to start?
Is my senior too old and set in his ways to join?
Your juvenile is old enough to have vaccine immunities, young enough to be more of a soaking sponge than a rehab candidate when it comes to manners, behaviors, and social skills. We safely broaden your puppy's exposure to people, other dogs and places. He/she learns that the world is fun, not scary. Young dogs with good experiences are much friendlier and less fearful than others, and thus less likely to become aggressive as they progress into being adults.
It is never too late to start socializing an adult or senior dog. It will take longer, but Club Happy Dog will help your pooch overcome stranger-danger and newness fear to become a happier, more trustworthy friend.
Can I send training treats for you to use with my dog?
Thank you but NO. Treat based training is dangerous in the dynamics of a dog group. Even the friendliest lab will often flip out and and fight for any food which is introduced. This is why food is not allowed at "dog parks." Along the same line, any toy which is possessively favored by more than one dog is removed from the play environment.
My dog is shy. Will she be OK?
Shyness tends to reflect fear and low confidence levels from a lack of prior socialization, or a bad experience when with another dog before. This is a dog imbalance which can easily progress into fear aggression. Also, shy dogs are targets for bullies on the playground.
We need to help your dog progress through this imbalance. We always start any new dog by introducing him gradually to one other CLUB dog to establish a security basis, progressing with continued single intro's at the dog's own stress-free pace until comfortably mainstreamed into the core CLUB group. This process can take anywhere from 5 minutes during the first outing to five or more outing days, depending on the dog.
Can my dog wear a body halter or gentle leader instead of neck collar?
No. Body halters prevent us from easily communicating with, guiding and directing your dog. Plus other dogs take great joy in mouthing these halters as well as gentle leader straps to haul around their unfortunate friends. As training devices, gentle leaders are irritating to a dog's nose bridge. When with us, your dog's training is based on respecting us as leaders. We want your dog to feel physically comfortable and at par with his/her friends. Your dog should wear a neck collar snug enough for only two fingers to fit inside.
What do you mean when you say you don't "farm out?"
Most "dog walkers" are not based in Pacific Palisades. They must hire unsupervised contractors to care give dogs. You'll often see their job ads in craigslist.
With Club Happy Dogs, Pacific Palisades is our home base. Our staff is a social team who congregates for our hike and social excursions. We support one another with a group buddy system for delivering professional dog management and behavioral handling - plus it's much more fun this way!
Do you do anything special with two-dog households?
We try to separate multiple dogs from the same house within our group. This gives the dominant (typically older) dog a break from the often irritating youngster to relax and enjoy frolics, punching out from his 24/7 sitting job. A younger or more dependent dog learns to socialize with other pooches without relying on the security of his home play mate, often hurdling shyness and uncertainty while developing acceptable play skills instead of questionable-at-best home antics which tend to get ignored.
Why don't you twitter where you're going before each day?
Part of keeping our dogs safe includes scoping our destination for potential risks before we "release the hounds." If we see questionable dogs, people crowds, horses, etc, we change course. We don't invite hazards like those which twitter could attract. We're the antithesis of LA - we do not seek a high profile, shy away from all PR and media, and protect the privacy and identity of our entertainment industry clientele.
Q&A's
Q&A's
Fun Multi-Hour Dog & Puppy Play Excursions in the Great Outdoors
CLUB HAPPY DOG
