Why “He Loves Other Dogs!” Doesn’t Tell Us Nearly Enough

“He loves other dogs!”

We hear it all the time.

And we're always happy to hear that a dog enjoys canine company—but at Ruby's K-9 Corral, that's only the beginning of the conversation.

Because after years of working with dogs, we've learned something important:

Liking other dogs and knowing which dogs you actually enjoy spending time with are two very different things.

Think about people.

You may love being around people. That doesn't mean you'd enjoy being dropped into a room with 30 strangers and told:

“Have fun! You all like people!”

Dogs aren't much different.

Meet the Wrestler

You know this dog.

Within five minutes, he's found another dog willing to body slam him into the grass.

They're rolling.

They're pawing.

They're bouncing off each other.

They're taking turns being on top.

To someone unfamiliar with dog play, it can look downright alarming.

But both dogs are loose, relaxed and repeatedly choosing to go back for more.

They're having the time of their lives.

Put that dog with another enthusiastic wrestler and you may have just created two best friends.

Put him with a quiet dog who prefers personal space?

Not such a great match.

The wrestler may be perfectly friendly. He's just a lot.

Then There's the Chase-Me Dog

This dog has absolutely no interest in wrestling.

His favorite game is:

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!

He runs.

Another dog follows.

He circles the yard.

He changes direction.

He takes off again.

For these dogs, the fun isn't necessarily physical contact. The fun is the chase.

Give them a compatible running buddy and they'll wear themselves out doing laps.

Give them a dog who wants to tackle instead of chase and you may have two completely different opinions about what constitutes a good time.

The Supervisor

Every playgroup seems to have one.

The Supervisor doesn't necessarily want to participate.

She wants to monitor the situation.

She strolls around the yard observing everybody else's questionable decisions.

Occasionally she'll join in.

Occasionally she'll offer her opinion.

Mostly, though, she seems perfectly content watching the younger crowd act ridiculous.

If dogs carried clipboards, she'd have one.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Not every dog needs to be in the middle of the action to enjoy being around other dogs.

The “I Only Need One Friend” Dog

Some dogs genuinely like other dogs—but they don't want a crowd.

Give them one compatible buddy and they're happy.

Add five more dogs and suddenly they're overwhelmed.

These dogs may form incredibly strong friendships with certain playmates. They'll seek each other out, play together, explore together and relax together.

They aren't antisocial.

They're selective.

And frankly, some humans can probably relate.

The Social Butterfly

Then we have the dog who walks into a group thinking:

NEW FRIENDS!

Big dog?

Friend.

Little dog?

Friend.

Young dog?

Friend.

Old dog?

Potential friend who simply hasn't realized it yet.

These easygoing dogs can sometimes fit comfortably into several different groups.

Even then, we still pay attention.

Because being friendly doesn't mean another dog necessarily appreciates that enthusiasm.

And Some Dogs Simply Prefer People

Here's another thing we think is important to say:

A dog doesn't have to enjoy group play to be a good dog.

Some dogs would rather spend time with people.

Some prefer exploring independently.

Some enjoy sniffing around outside without another dog bothering them.

Others may have liked group play when they were younger but become less interested as they've gotten older.

That is okay.

We don't believe every dog needs to become a daycare social butterfly.

Our job isn't to turn your dog into something he isn't.

It's to learn who he already is.

Size Matters—but It's Not the Only Thing That Matters

Obviously, size is an important consideration when putting dogs together.

But we also look at temperament, energy level, confidence, age, play style and personality.

Two dogs can weigh exactly the same amount and be a terrible play match.

Meanwhile, two dogs with different personalities may complement each other beautifully.

That's why “small dogs over here and big dogs over there” doesn't tell the whole story.

Safe, enjoyable play requires paying attention to the actual dogs.

We Watch the Conversation Between Dogs

Dogs communicate constantly.

They just don't use words.

During play, we're watching things like body language, movement, excitement level and whether both dogs continue choosing the interaction.

Is one dog constantly pursuing while the other is constantly trying to get away?

Is one dog becoming overwhelmed?

Are both dogs taking breaks?

Are they switching roles?

Does one dog keep seeking the other one out?

Is everybody still having fun?

Good play isn't simply:

Nobody is fighting, so everything must be fine.

There's a lot more happening than that.

Sometimes Friendships Surprise Us

One of the fun parts of working with dogs is discovering friendships we wouldn't necessarily have predicted.

A dog comes in and we start learning his personality.

Maybe he's energetic—but doesn't like rough play.

Maybe she's shy—but blossoms around one particular calm dog.

Maybe the big goofy dog turns out to be incredibly gentle with a smaller friend.

Or perhaps the dog everyone assumed would want a huge playgroup is happiest hanging out with just one buddy.

That's why we don't want to make assumptions based solely on breed, size or what someone checked on a form.

We want to get to know the dog.

Your Dog Is More Than “Friendly” or “Not Friendly”

At Ruby's, we believe dogs are individuals.

They have preferences.

They have personalities.

They have good days and occasionally grumpy days.

They have dogs they adore and dogs they'd probably rather not invite to their birthday party.

And those things can change over time.

A puppy's play style may look very different a year later. An older dog may decide the younger crowd is exhausting. A shy dog may gain confidence. A dog who once loved big groups may eventually prefer a smaller circle.

That's why we're always watching and learning.

When you tell us,

“He loves other dogs!”

we're happy to hear it.

But then we want to find out:

What kind of dogs does he love?

Does he want to wrestle?

Does he want to run?

Does he want one best friend?

Does he want to supervise everybody?

Or would he really prefer that all these dogs leave him alone so he can hang out with the humans?

Those details matter.

Because at Ruby's K-9 Corral, successful play isn't about putting the most dogs together.

It's about putting the right dogs together.

And sometimes the happiest dog in the yard isn't the one with ten friends.

It's the one who found exactly the right one. ❤️🐾

Ruby's K-9 Corral
Boarding • Daycare • Grooming

Individual dogs. Individual personalities. Individual care.