Play for Life
Dogs in a shelter environment are surrounded by other dogs 24/7; they see them, hear them and smell them, but for the most part don't have contact with them. This can add stress to an already stressful environment and can lead to less than desirable behaviours such as barrier frustration and leash reactivity. Play for Life (PFL) is a program designed to give shelter canines an opportunity to socialize with other dogs through play. Providing an opportunity for dogs to ditch the leash and interact freely with other dogs can reduce their stress and provide enrichment that can only be found by interacting with their own species. This program provides the opportunity to see our dogs in a more true to life environment; meeting new dogs off leash, playing, sniffing, and at times avoiding.
Not only does PFL have enormous benefits for the dogs through stress reduction and socialization, it can also help increase their adoptability and provide valuable information to our staff. If all we see is frustrated dogs barking in their kennel or on leash, they can quickly become labelled based on that behaviour and their options for possible homes may narrow. We learn so much about them from their interactions with other dogs. Sometimes it may show that they are not good candidates for the off leash park which is valuable information to pass on to their new families. The majority of the time it challenges our preconceptions of reactive dogs and teaches us that most dogs, if given the chance, just want to play.
Volunteers and staff that oversee this program are full of stories of the joy they see in the dogs' faces; the bounce in their step as they leave their kennel and know where they are going; and the anticipation as the door is opened and they peek inside to see who they are meeting today. The more experience we have with dog play, the more relaxed we are with different play styles and the occasional tense moment. Different breeds tend to have different manners of play. Some dogs come in like a freight train and bounce off each other and occasionally take out an unsuspecting observer. Some like to chase, others to wrestle or do the poodle poke. There are bouncy dogs, submissive dogs and high energy dogs. Dogs, like people, tend to work things out on their own if left to their own devices. They play or they don't; squabbles tend to be short-lived and without injury and play teaches them valuable social skills that they take with them to their life post shelter.
Whether it is a quiet or exciting day in our Play for Life program it's hard not to smile as a dog's gait lengthens and their mouth hangs open, tongue lolling, relaxed and happy. Twists and turns, sprints and jogs. For a short period of time they leave the shelter behind and are simply dogs at play. It is a beautiful thing!
Not only does PFL have enormous benefits for the dogs through stress reduction and socialization, it can also help increase their adoptability and provide valuable information to our staff. If all we see is frustrated dogs barking in their kennel or on leash, they can quickly become labelled based on that behaviour and their options for possible homes may narrow. We learn so much about them from their interactions with other dogs. Sometimes it may show that they are not good candidates for the off leash park which is valuable information to pass on to their new families. The majority of the time it challenges our preconceptions of reactive dogs and teaches us that most dogs, if given the chance, just want to play.
Volunteers and staff that oversee this program are full of stories of the joy they see in the dogs' faces; the bounce in their step as they leave their kennel and know where they are going; and the anticipation as the door is opened and they peek inside to see who they are meeting today. The more experience we have with dog play, the more relaxed we are with different play styles and the occasional tense moment. Different breeds tend to have different manners of play. Some dogs come in like a freight train and bounce off each other and occasionally take out an unsuspecting observer. Some like to chase, others to wrestle or do the poodle poke. There are bouncy dogs, submissive dogs and high energy dogs. Dogs, like people, tend to work things out on their own if left to their own devices. They play or they don't; squabbles tend to be short-lived and without injury and play teaches them valuable social skills that they take with them to their life post shelter.
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