For everyone’s safety, it is important that all dogs interact positively together. For this reason, we require that all dogs pass a temperament evaluation. We want to make sure that the dogs that attend Downtown Dogs are able to get along with humans (staff), large groups of dogs, and will be okay away from mom and dad. Dogs that are anxious, nervous, or frightened would not enjoy themselves. Most importantly, we want this to be a fun and safe experience for them.
Here’s a look at what to expect:
- When you arrive, we take a few minutes to let your pup get to know us.
- We take them in the back to start the evaluation process (owners stay in the lobby where they can get coffee, tea, and snacks).
- We first introduce two of our calmer pups to see how your dog does, then introduce some of our more active and excitable dogs.
- We will bring in approximately six to eight dogs total to the group.
- We will observe how your pup gives and takes correction from other dogs, anxiety levels and nervousness, their engagement level with the other pups, any toy aggression, how they allow us to handle their collar, and how they interact with treats in a group setting.
- We will then bring your pup back out to you and discuss how it went.
- If all goes well, we will review our policies, have you sign them, and then register your pet as a new client.