If you are planning on adopting a dog from the Dartmouth SPCA, you should have your pick of pups who are nice and refreshed.

This week, the non-profit is implementing a pilot project called Operation Hit Snooze – nap time.

It will be one hour during the middle of the day between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., where dogs are encouraged to sleep or just have a rest.

Dr. Mike Ackerley from the Tartan Trails Veterinarian Hospital, who has been in the profession for 15 years, tells us there are four main benefits this will have.

“Same as humans, just allowing time for muscles and things like that to heal, especially in those working breed dogs or high energetic dogs. It’s going to be really, really important. Then there’s mental rest for training and those sorts of things.”

Ackerley says, recharging the immune system and regulating their mood are also very beneficial.

“Like us, again, [when] we don’t get enough sleep, we can become irritable and display, maybe not, the greatest behaviors.”

He adds, shelters can be very stimulating environments. So, allowing the dogs to have extra rest where they can feel better, gives them the best chance to be adopted.

Lights down, music on

To help with the atmosphere, the lights will be dimmed and either music or an audiobook will be played.

Dr. Ackerley says research shows this is an added benefit.

“It really does help with them being relaxed, and again, improving their mood and things. And as little noise as possible…it all kind of goes together to help decrease the stress and increase the welfare while these guys are in the shelter with us.”

There will be no interruptions, meeting potential adopters or playtime during this hour.

Where did the idea come from?

The concept of down time at a dog shelter, is not new.

Sarah Lyon, Communications Manager with the SPCA says other shelters outside of Canada have been doing it and now the Nova Scotia SPCA is using it for their “toolbox”.

They are starting the pilot in Dartmouth, because it is the biggest shelter in their system and right next to the provincial office.

Lyon says, on their off days, they’ve already implemented it and have seen a difference.

“The days that we aren’t open to the public, they’ve already been pushing this out and immediately the staff have seen a difference and are very happy with it.”

The pilot is planned for the month of January, but Lyon says, they expect it to stick around and expand across the province.