If You Live in Los Angeles, Your Dog Will Also Receive Therapy

A dog daycare in Southern California is gearing up for Independence Day by playing fireworks sounds throughout the day. This is part of a therapeutic “desensitization” approach aimed at helping dogs stay calm.

The Dingo Doggies Campus, located on Obama Boulevard in Los Angeles, shared on Instagram: “Independence Day is just around the corner! So we started coordinating fireworks for the pups! We play a fireworks soundtrack all day every day, and on the night of July 4th, we play it in the kennel rooms to help the boarders blend in with the actual fireworks.”

As part of their unique training program, the dogs engage in activities like walking on treadmills and navigating obstacle courses while fireworks footage plays in the background. Their calm behavior is reinforced with praise from staff, signaling, “Good job, guys.”

Dingo Doggies Campus describes its services as a “school for dogs,” focusing on better listening, impulse control, and socialization.

Owner and lead trainer, Renee Bogaerts, admits she has an “obsession” with dogs. She started this facility in 2014 after noticing that many dogs, particularly in urban settings, have unmet needs that result in problematic behaviors. In an interview with VoyageLA, she discussed these insights.

Many dogs experience significant anxiety from fireworks, often leading them to tremble, whine, or hide in fear. The loud noises can even pose dangers, like causing dogs to run away and get lost or hurt.

As noted by the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, loud noises are a common fear among pets. They describe how Fourth of July fireworks are particularly frightening, and while these fears don’t develop overnight, there are strategies to help reduce anxiety over time. Techniques like “counterconditioning and desensitization” can assist in replacing fearful responses with more relaxed ones by gradually exposing dogs to the stimulus in a controlled way.

That seems precisely what this daycare is striving to do.

Bogaerts mentioned, “We specialize in dogs and puppies that are nervous, anxious, and socially shy.” However, she believes all dogs can benefit from their program.