Sensory Room:
promoting mental and physical well being through Sensory Enrichment sessions

 

The Sensory Room is an in person event, we regularly set up in various locations in Nova Scotia. In 2024 we  also schedule a two Sensory Room weekends in New Brunswick and one in PEI! Do you live elsewhere?
We now also have the 'Long Distance Sensory Room'.

 

Schedule in person Sensory Room May-June 2024:​

• Saturday May 11th, Avonport - SOLD OUT

• Sunday May 12th, Timberlea - 5 spots 

• May 24/25/26 - St. John, NB - see below

• Saturday June 8th, Avonport - registration closed

• Sunday June 9th, Timberlea - 6 spots

• Saturday June 15th, Eastern Passage - SOLD OUT

 

Fee for sessions in Nova Scotia (tax incl): $75*, included in the price:

• Sensory Room session (includes observation chat) 

• Treats (diets/allergies are taken into account)

• Video link to your session

• Pdf to set up your own Sensory Room at home

*Exceptions: due to distance/extra gas costs sessions in Amherst are $80 each. 

 

Out of province schedule (dates and locations will be added during the year):

• May 24th/25th/26th, Saint John, New Brunswick - sold out

• June/July: the Netherlands

• September: Fredericton, NB

• October: Charlottetown, PEI

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Fee for out of province Sensory Room sessions (tax incl): $99, included:

• Sensory Room session (includes observation chat) 

• Treats (diets/allergies are taken into account)

• Video link to your session

• Pdf to set up your own Sensory Room at home

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How to book your spot:

Send an email with location and date you want to book for to tessa@puzzledog.ca

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About the Sensory Room:

The Sensory Room is a simple and low impact activity. Sensory Room sessions give dogs freedom to engage with their environment freely and make their own choices. The dog can gather information from their environment at their own pace. 

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The Sensory Room concept is developed combining the knowledge of Hersenwerk for dogs, Dynamic Dog and ACE FreeWork. This results in a unique concept.

Walking through the Sensory Room all senses are stimulated: taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight, proprioception (feedback loop in the nervous system that provides information about body position, balance, movement and action) and vestibular (sensory system that gives the brain information about the head position and movement; important for keeping balance). 

The Sensory Room is a calm and low impact body exercise for the dog; it can help to improve the posture and the dog works every muscle in their body in a slow and controlled way.

 

Observing the dog going through the Sensory Room we can learn a lot about their posture, preferences and dislikes. Sometimes we observe movements that are a reason for us to recommend a visit to the vet. We can only give you our observations, we're not able to give any diagnoses. 

 

 

What happens in the Sensory Room:

During the session, it will be just your dog, you and me in the room. Each and every dog and their owner will have their own experience in the Sensory Room. We don't have expectations or goals. The dogs will have the time to explore, reset, rebalance and release and the humans take the time to observe calmly and silently. 

 

Entering the Sensory room, I'll ask you to remove your dog's collar and/or harness, so they're totally 'naked'. If there is a reason you don't want to do that, that's okay too, we'll go with the flow. 

Your dog will probably be excited when entering the room or maybe a little overwhelmed or cautious. That is all perfectly fine, we give them the time to start exploring and will make adjustments if that makes them feel better. 

 

When your dog starts exploring, we'll just sit and observe. We do that calmly without talking a lot, but I will point out my observations during the session. 

 

At a certain moment your dog will show that they're done. We can talk a little more to share our observations and then it's time to end the session.

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Any dog can participate

The session is beneficial for ANY dog: young, old, reactive, shy, disabled, healthy, fearful. If you have any concerns if it is suitable for your dog, let me know and we can discuss that. I can't predict what will happen and what we will observe, it can be smaller or bigger things.
Disclaimer: if your dog is extremely fearful, people reactive of aggressive: please contact me first to discuss options. 

 

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