We Play Naked at Canine To Five!
We’ve been playing naked at Canine To Five since 2006! Being a collar-free facility helps us maintain our most important core value – Safety.
HOW ARE DOGS MORE SAFE PLAYING NAKED?
When dogs play together, they’re using their teeth, feet, muzzles, and jaws most commonly around their playmate’s neck. A fun-filled wrestling match can soon turn deadly when one of the furry friends becomes tangled in a collar.
The trapped dog will panic and struggle to get free causing them to strangle their playmate and injure themselves in the process. This dangerous scenario is far too common, and dogs have been strangled to death in preventable situations like this.
I will never forget the 2006 incident at Canine To Five that guided the decision to go collar-free. My own dog, a Newfoundland, and a Yellow Lab were playing at doggie daycare in Detroit. My Newfoundland grabbed the Lab’s collar in play, but the Lab turned and the collar got twisted around my dog’s jaw, tightening it around the Lab’s neck! It took 4 people to detangle them safely.
That is the day we became a collar free facility.
SHOULD DOGS ALWAYS BE NAKED?
Collars are certainly important for identification purposes, and should always be worn when leaving the home. But if you are not providing direct supervision, or crating at home while you’re away, a collar can turn into a dangerous weapon.
The founder of The Naked Dog Project, Robbie Scott, tells the story of her 6-month-old puppy, Gracie, who was strangled to death with her collar while attending a doggie daycare in Ohio. Scott turned her tragic loss into a non-profit organization to educate and bring awareness to the dangers that lurk when dogs live and play with collars on.
Her website suggests when looking for a dog daycare and overnight dog boarding facility for your dog, it’s important to ask about their policy on wearing collars in their care, if their team is trained in Pet CPR & First Aid, and if they have an emergency preparedness plan.
You can learn more about collar safety below!
- Don’t Wait! Prevent Collar Accidents
- The Hidden Danger Behind Dog Collars
- The Naked Dog Project – Doggie Daycare
Interested in dog daycare in Detroit, Ferndale, or Commerce Township? Here’s what you’ll need to start:
- Your pup must be at least 12 weeks old
- They must have their DHPP, Lepto, Bordetella, and Rabies vaccines (Rabies by 18 weeks old for puppies)
- Puppies over 9 months old must be spayed/neutered to participate in our pack-style environment; Unaltered dogs may continue to join us for Pawsitive Enrichment
If your dog is eligible to start, click here to fill out our new client inquiry form and our Canine Concierge will get in touch with you to go over next steps!