Designed around dogs. Not just around daycare.
Dogs experience the world differently than we do.
A beautiful room may impress us. For them, the things that matter are often much simpler.
- Do I feel safe here?
- Do I know these people ?
- Do I recognize these dogs?
- Can I move away when I’ve had enough?
- Does someone notice when I’m uncomfortable
- Do I get to play, explore, sniff, think and rest?
That is where our definition of luxury begins.
At Wagsworth Reserve, the environment, daily rhythm and membership model are all intended to help create a more predictable, individualized and emotionally considerate daycare experience.
Because feeling safe changes everything.
Wagsworth Reserve was intentionally created around Fear Free-inspired principles that recognize emotional wellbeing as an important part of excellent care.
Dogs communicate constantly through their bodies and behavior. Excitement, uncertainty, confidence, overstimulation, fatigue and stress can all look different from one dog to another.
Our approach is to pay attention.
We use thoughtful transitions, gradual introductions when appropriate, positive reinforcement, opportunities for decompression, structured rest and individualized handling to help reduce unnecessary fear, anxiety, stress and overstimulation.
The goal isn’t to force every dog to participate in everything. The goal is to understand the dog in front of us.
SOCIALIZATION
The goal isn’t more dogs. It’s the right dogs.
We don’t believe a successful social experience is measured by how many dogs we can fit into one room.
Dogs have different personalities, play styles, confidence levels, energy levels and social preferences.
Some love a lively game.
Some prefer a smaller circle.
Some make one best friend and consider the networking portion of the day complete.
Our goal is to create thoughtfully matched social experiences based on the dogs actually participating, not simply place every dog into one large group.
Groups and activities may change as relationships develop and as our team learns more about each member.
Quality of interaction matters more to us than quantity.
ENRICHMENT
There’s more to a good day than burning energy.
Dogs need opportunities to use their brains as well as their bodies.
That’s why meaningful enrichment is part of the normal Wagsworth experience rather than something we reserve only for special occasions.
Depending on the day, the group and the individual dog, enrichment may include activities
involving:
- sniffing and scent
- exploration
- problem solving
- food or puzzle activities
- retrieval and movement
- simple skills
- sensory experiences
- individual interaction
- appropriate social activities
The purpose isn’t to keep every dog constantly busy.It’s to create a day with variety, purpose and opportunities to engage naturally.
Sometimes the best enrichment is discovering something new. Sometimes it’s finding the tennis ball. Again.
REST & DECOMPRESSION
Even the social set needs some downtime.
Rest isn’t what happens when daycare stops. Rest is part of daycare.
Constant stimulation can become overwhelming, which is why Wagsworth intentionally includes opportunities for dogs to settle, decompress and recover throughout their day.
Rest periods help create a healthier rhythm between activity and recovery and give our team another opportunity to observe how each dog is doing.
Some members may need more downtime than others.
That’s okay.
We’re not awarding a trophy for staying at the party the longest.
Because every member is somebody’s whole world.
Group care should never mean becoming invisible within the group.
Throughout the day, our team is paying attention to the individual dog as well as the group around them.
- How are they feeling?
- Are they participating ?
- Are they thirsty?
- Are they tired?
- Do they need a break?
- Are they seeking interaction?
- Is something different from their normal behavior?
As our relationships with members grow, those observations become increasingly
meaningful because we have something important to compare them with:
who that dog normally is.
That familiarity is one of the things we want Wagsworth members and their families to value
most.
A rhythm to the day. Room to be a dog.
Wagsworth days are thoughtfully structured, but they aren’t meant to feel like military school with tennis balls.
We create a predictable rhythm around arrival, socialization, enrichment, individual attention, hydration, rest, smaller activities and departure preparation while still responding to the dogs actually in our care that day.
Some days call for more activity.
Some dogs need more decompression.
Some groups are ready to socialize.
Someone may decide today is apparently dedicated entirely to sniffing.
Structure gives us a framework. The dogs tell us what they need within it.
MEMBERSHIP / FOUNDING PAWS
EXPLORE MEMBERSHIP
EXPLORE MEMBERSHIP
THE WAGSWORTH CARE PROFILE
The more we know them, the better we can care for them.
The more we know them, the better we can care for them.
From there, our understanding continues to develop.
Their care profile can grow with observations about personality, play style, social preferences, sensitivities, routines, handling preferences and other information that helps our team provide more individualized care.
Because dogs aren’t static.
They grow. They learn. Their confidence changes. Their friendships change. Their needs can change too.
Getting to know a member isn’t something we do once. It’s an ongoing relationship.
COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR HUMANS
You may not be at the club. You’re still part of it.
The dog may be the member, but we know there’s a human somewhere wondering what doing.
Through our member communication and supported tools, our goal is to keep families connected to their dog’s experience with thoughtful updates and information about their day.
As our final workflows are completed, this may include digital report cards, photos, care notes and other member communication features.
OUR STANDARD
Would we want this for our own dogs?
That question sits behind nearly every decision we make.
- Would we want our dogs in this group?
- Would we be comfortable with this environment?
- Would we want someone to notice that change in behavior?
- Would we want them given a break?
- Would we want somebody to know their quirks instead of simply knowing their reservation number?
If the answer isn’t yes, there is still work to do.
That is the standard we want Wagsworth Reserve to grow around.
Think your dog would look good on the member list?
Every Wagsworth membership begins by getting to know the dog behind the application.
Join our Founding Paws list to be among the first to receive information about membership availability, Welcome Assessments and opening updates.