Poppy the four year old Chug joined Bruce’s in early spring of 2023.
Born during the COVID-19 pandemic, Poppy had a challenging start to life and was incredibly anxious. Her parents, needing day care due to work commitments, had been recommended Bruce’s by a local dog behaviourist and hoped that we could provide the support she needed.
On Poppy’s first day, we followed our tried and tested approach to anxious new arrivals – allowing them the time and space they need to get accustomed to the environment before introducing one dog at a time in a neutral space. Unfortunately, this proved overwhelming for Poppy. She was showing clear signs of being uncomfortable and we quickly realised that she was reaching her stress threshold. The team were able to get in touch with Poppy’s parents and explain very honestly, that she may not be suited for daycare due to her anxiety.
Despite the initial setback, we were determined to help Poppy build her confidence and trust in people (and dogs!) outside of her family. On her next visit, she spent her day in our cozy office with Centre Manager, Daniel. Poppy gradually became used to people coming in and out of the office and towards the end of the day she began showing signs of comfort, sniffing around Daniel’s chair and even sitting on it! This progress gave us real glimmers of hope that Poppy could well be on her way to enjoying day care – in her own time of course!
For her third visit, we focused on office-based enrichment, with Daniel staying by her side. We also enlisted the expert help of our Dog Behaviourist and Trainer, Georgina Snow who developed a Behavior Management Plan (BMP) for Poppy. BMPs are tailored strategies that we use at Bruce’s to support dogs needing that little bit of extra guidance. Our dedicated teams meet weekly to review and adjust these plans, ensuring consistent communication with the dog’s owners. Poppy’s adoring parents were fully on board and eager for us to help build her confidence.
Over her next few visits, Daniel brought even more confidence out of the nervous Poppy and she would even happily sit on her lap! Now that Poppy had given her seal of approval to Dan, it was time to expand her circle. Gradually, we introduced her to the rest of our Tunbridge team using a furry favourite – liver paste as a reward. Each of our carers spent time with Poppy in the staff room, slowly earning her trust until she was completely comfortable.
Our hard work paid off and Poppy began to blossom.
Her confidence grew tenfold, and we were thrilled with her progress. Now she was comfortable with people, it was time to introduce her to our Tiny Town field. We started with one dog at a time, and to our delight, Poppy handled it like a pro!
Within four months, Poppy’s transformation was remarkable. Her confidence skyrocketed, and although we continued to keep a close eye on her, we knew that this was just the beginning for her new found zest for life.
Poppy’s journey is a real testament to the patience, persistence, and the pooch-centric, supportive environment that our team curate each and every day at Bruce’s Tunbridge Wells and beyond. We are proud to have been a part of so many dog’s transformations and never tire of seeing them continue to thrive.
Could you dog benefit from regular, high quality doggy day care? Get in touch with the team today.
“Poppy is a rescue Chug and for several reasons (such as her breed, being a rescue, and being born in COVID times), she is quite fearful and reactive to people and dogs she doesn’t know. We had to be very careful when seeking daycare for the days we couldn’t work from home. Bruce’s was recommended to us by a dog behaviorist specializing in rescue dogs. From the first day, it was clear the staff at Bruce’s were compassionate, caring, and determined to prioritize Poppy’s best interests.
This was reaffirmed by the continued honest updates about her progress and occasional reminders that we might need a Plan B just in case. I recall her first day and the phone call asking us to collect her early as she was getting stressed, which highlights how far the staff have guided her into the confident and happy dog she is today. Now, when we drop her off, it’s delightful to see her tail wagging at the sight of her carer friends. Seeing the pictures of her having a great time with her doggy and human friends is the highlight of our week. We are so grateful to all the staff at Bruce’s for their patience, care, and guidance for Poppy and for us!”
– Jo Hawkins, Poppy’s Pawrent
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