Have you ever had to opt out of Happy Hour with your coworkers or working late to finish that project because you had to rush back to pick your pup up from Wag Zone? Have you ever wanted to go on a day trip without worrying about your dog being home alone for hours on end? Have we got great news for you!  

Wag Zone is extremely excited to announce that we now have the longest operating hours of any dog daycare in the Lower Mainland! Wag Zone is now open from 6am to midnight Monday through Saturday. That's right. 6am to MIDNIGHT. In addition to giving our clients more flexibility in balancing their busy lives with providing the best for their dogs, these new hours are designed to reach out to those who previously have not been able to take advantage of dog daycare because they don't work regular 9-5 shifts.   

Things to Know

• To ensure the safety and security of our staff, doors will be locked after 7pm and opened only to clients picking up dogs.    

• Visits over 12 hours in duration will cost an additional $5.      

• No cash transactions after 7pm - debit and credit cards only. If you prefer to pay cash, please pay at the time of drop-off.     

• Want us to feed Fido? We can provide meals for $3.00 or bring your own and we'll feed your dog dinner at no extra charge. 

So, enjoy your after-work gatherings! Get that project done! Run off to Whistler, the Island or the States for the day! Wag Zone has got your dog care covered.

Wag Zone recognizes that checking your dog in or out of Staycare can be a time-consuming process. There are dates and instructions to confirm, contracts to sign and bills to be settled. We also know that your time is valuable - especially when you are rushing to leave town on holidays or returning from your trip, tired and ready to be home.

Wag Zone is happy to introduce a quick and easy solution to this frustration: Staycare Express.

 Staycare Express is a free online system that allows you to give us all the information we need to know about your dog's care ahead of time so that you can get in and out of Wag Zone quickly and conveniently. Whenever you reserve a Staycare visit for your dog, you'll receive an email giving you the option to use Staycare Express. The best thing is you need only complete the full Staycare Express form once. Provided your dog's care instructions haven't changed, for any future visits you need only confirm your dates, times and Staycare Express preferences, and you are -literally - good to go! 

  

Have you ever looked at your dog and thought to yourself "I wish she could talk"... then again, perhaps it's more a matter of "thank goodness she can't talk". Well it may come as some surprise to the uninitiated that dogs actually have a distinct and well-developed language. One that is instinctual and universal. A Chow Chow in China can clearly communicate with a Poodle in Pittsburgh. It is a primarily silent, subtle communication that is easily missed - and often misunderstood - by us verbally-focused humans.

Have you ever scolded your dog, just to have him yawn in your face? Or look away? Or lick his lips? These are the canine equivalent of a reassuring voice, or a nodding head, or raising a white flag. These are called 'calming signals' and are some of the more apparent "conversations" that you can observe in your dog.

As many as 30 different calming signals have been identified by canine body language expert Turid Rugaas, who also coined the term, but it is likely there are many more that have yet to be discovered. Dogs, being pack animals, have developed this language to support stability and peaceful coexistence within their 'community'. An unstable pack is likely not very effective at ensuring the healthy survival of its members so it stands to reason that clear communication would be critical to the pack's overall well-being. They are called calming signals because that is precisely what they are designed to do: to diffuse conflict, ease tension, and calm each other, so as to ensure the stability of the pack.

Working in a dog daycare, you have the benefit of seeing some pretty amazing examples of calming signals in action. One instance in particular stands out in my mind - probably because it involved my own dog, Boomer. Boomer is a lovable albeit somewhat neurotic and agitated Cattle Dog. Boomer loves and trusts people. Other dogs - not so much. He is what we would call a pack destabilizer (which is a big reason why my dear, sweet dog doesn't come to daycare anymore). On this occasion, Boomer had come into the pack, nervous, panting, yawning, stressed and reactive. Most dogs knew well enough to give him a wide berth, but two of our longtime, most stable pack members decided that Boomer needed some intervention.

Almost simultaneously, the two dogs approached him while keeping their distance and lay down quietly, facing him, forming a large triangle between the three. They remained still, except for a few gentle yawns and some foot licking. They turned their heads slightly to avoid direct eye contact. It was clear that they were actively trying to calm Boomer down, to tell him they were not a threat, they were stable, that he needn't worry. After a minute or two, Boomer sat, still giving off lots of whiny yawns, panting with a wide, tense mouth. The two dogs remained still and constant. A moment later, Boomer finally relaxed, lay down, and stopped his panting. He wasn't so worried anymore. Once Boomer had settled, the two dogs calmly got up and went about their business with the pack, mission accomplished.

So when you see your dog yawn, or lick his lips, or avert his gaze, he's not bored, hungry or ignoring you. He's trying to tell you he understands the stress of the moment and he's just trying to calm himself - and everybody else - down. And if you want to relax your stressed dog, you might try a few yawns and lip licks yourself. It might just work. You might be surprised that you can actually speak dog. 

   

On July 31, Wag Zone will join thousands of Vancouverites in the celebration of diversity, acceptance and unity at the 2011 Pride Parade and Festival. If you are out enjoying the festivities, stop by our booth at Sunset Beach to say hi, grab some swag and a free treat for your pup, and enter our Facebook photo contest to win one of two gift packages including a beautiful dog bed, collapsible water bowl, toys, treats and more.

With any luck the sun will also make an appearance to assist with the celebration... and the illumination.