Managing Group Play Sessions

Operating Procedure

Group play can be a great way for dogs to become socialized in a pack environment. However, it’s not for all dogs, which is why as an activities team member you will be tasked with monitoring and managing these group play sessions, ensuring all dogs are safely playing. It is important to establish your leadership role and maintain a safe and playful environment. The following are guidelines for effectively interacting with the pack while conducting a play session.

Leadership

Productive pack management starts with great leadership, which can be established in many ways. The following are some appropriate and effective ways to do so.

 Appropriate ways to establish a leadership role:

When in play groups, a six-foot leash needs to be carried by the group leader at all times. This tool can be used to establish a bond with any dog in the play yard through leash work. It can be especially effective with members of the pack that display excessive energy and/or a lack of boundaries with the other pack members. 

• Presenting yourself as the “alpha” to the pack is key to ensuring a safe and well-managed play group. Things like establishing eye contact and body posture (i.e., standing tall with an outward chest) project confidence and are great ways to achieve this presence. The following are ways to interact with the pack and it all starts when entering into the play yard.  When walking into a play yard, ignore the pack members rushing toward you. To prevent dogs from jumping at your body, it is ok to slowly lift a knee in an upward motion to deter jumping at you. During this process, keep a calm composure and walk a couple laps around the field. If a dog nips at your fingers for attention and/or tries to get your attention by nudging at your hands, cross your arms just under your chest to help deter it. Walking the yard throughout the day in this manner projects confidence to the pack. It is important to constantly be moving and scanning the yard for high-energy dogs that you can interact with, while instilling your leadership.
• Gate management is key to keeping the dogs safe during the loading and unloading process of groups. It is also a great way to establish a boundary with the pack and display leadership.  Gate management is done by positioning yourself in front of the gate entry/exit point. You will need to establish a three-foot boundary between you and the pack. This can be done using the command “wait.” You can also slowly lean your knee forward toward the dog(s). You do this by placing your right or left foot on the ground three feet in front of you and leaning your knee toward the pack. Repeat this until you have successfully established the three-foot space.
  • Novice activity leads can remain in front of the pack, establishing eye contact with pack members. You can also use the command “sit” and/or “wait” to establish more leadership/authority (when using verbal commands it’s important to not overly communicate, allow at least five second pauses between each command.)
  • Intermediate activity leads can establish themselves in front of the gate with it partially open with your body still in position to block the area.
  • Advanced activity leads can practice with the gate fully open, your body at the gates side not blocking the entry/exit.

“Group sit” is another great activity to practice with the pack. Find an area of the yard where you can gain the attention of the surrounding dogs. Using hand signals and the command “sit,” see how many in the area will respond to the command. Continue to practice this throughout the day.

• Novice activity leads have the surrounding dogs sit for a minimum of two seconds.  
• Intermediate activity leads have the surrounding dogs sit for three seconds
• Advanced sit for four seconds.

“Follow the Leader.”

This is a great way to distract when dogs are fixating on a particular area or dogs. It is also a great way to establish a leadership role by redirecting the pack to follow your lead. During this activity, repeat the command “let’s go” one to three times in an energized and elevated tone while walking to the opposite end of the yard. Most pack members will fall in behind you; however, if they do not, continue to practice this throughout the day.