Group Play for Dogs

Group play has many benefits

• It provides socialization, exercise and entertainment for your dog.
• It reduces separation anxiety – theirs and yours!
• It helps eliminate undesirable and destructive behavior at home.
• It helps your dog maintain a tolerant energy level at home.
• It helps build confidence in your dog so they are comfortable in different social settings (i.e. Old Town, street fairs, organized runs, etc.)
• It helps your dog stay mentally alert and socially aware of other dogs.
• It helps build their immune system
• It’s fun!

Risks of group play

Here at Aspen Grove, we believe that the benefits of group play far outweigh the risk of injury or illness. The trained staff at Aspen Grove can help you make an informed decision about whether your dog(s) are ready for group play/socialization.

The health, happiness, and well-being of your pet is our number one concern. Group play and socialization has many benefits for the life and health of your dog.  However, when you let your dog play with other dogs minor illness or injury may happen.

Even with our stringent safety policies and procedures, dog injuries do occur from time to time. Dogs use their teeth like we use our hands; they use their mouths to grab each other, steal objects, and play with one another. Nicks, scrapes and the occasional puncture wound will happen. Additionally, just like humans spread germs, so do dogs. The most common illnesses requiring medical care are kennel cough and conjunctivitis.

Illness or Injury

Even with our stringent safety policies and procedures, illness and injury can still occur from time to time. The great thing with group play at Aspen Grove is that if your dog does get sick or injured, treatment is not delayed. If medical care is needed treatment begins immediately at our onsite veterinary hospital.

Medical Treatment *Additional fees apply*

Below is a list of the most common types of illness and injury we see from group play (this list is not all inclusive).

Kennel Cough

• Comprehensive physical exam to confirm diagnosis
• Cough Suppressants to treat

Conjunctivitis (a.k.a., Pink Eye)

• Comprehensive physical exam to confirm diagnosis
• Antibiotic eye ointment

Papilloma Virus (a.k.a., warts generally located in or around the mouth)

• This is generally a self-limiting virus that will clear on its own. A doctor’s exam and consultation is at the discretion of the owner/doctor.

Puncture wounds, lacerations, sprains, and strains

Possible treatments:

• Comprehensive Physical Exam
• Shave hair at injury site
• Medication for pain management
• Antibiotics
• Sutures or Staples

*Treatment and costs vary depending on individual patient needs.

Even with our stringent safety policies and procedures, dog illnesses and injuries do occur from time to time.