FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The definition of Dog Daycare is an organized controlled and monitored environment for a group of friendly dogs to interact and play in an enclosed building or yard. Dog Daycare is one of the newest services available for dogs. It differs from Day Boarding, which some kennels and veterinarians will offer, where the dog is kept in a kennel for most of the day. Unfortunately, some places that do Day Boarding refer to the service as Dog Daycare, which it is not. Dog Daycare also differs from Dog Walking services whereby the dog is typically tethered (on leash). In addition, Dog Daycare provides the dog with a social setting, which helps teach the dog how to properly interact in a group dynamic.

“Most dogs today also lack the stimulation of a real job – the herding, hunting, ratting, carting, or guarding that they were bred to do. Left home alone all day while their families are at work and school, they are bored, lonely, restless, and unemployed. Without the opportunity to interact regularly with others of their own kind, they even forget hot to speak ‘dog,’ and when they do meet up with other canines they are often socially inept, fearful, or aggressive. The sad result is a growing population of pets who exhibit inappropriate behaviors in the home, and who are ‘not good with other dogs.'”

-Whole Dog Journal; August 2001

Animal experts agree that exercise and socialization are an important part of maintaining a well-balanced, healthy dog. Dogs left at home for extended periods of time lack proper exercise and mental stimulation which can lead to problems such as destructive behavior, incessant barking, separation anxiety, regression in housebreaking, etc., etc. Owners that don’t provide daycare to their dogs tend to add to the problem by overdoing activity on the weekends and overfeeding treats to make their dog happy. Dog Daycare provides the exercise and socialization a dog needs in a safe, supervised environment.

Yes! Our overnight service is referred to as cage-free boarding. This means the service includes cage-free daycare socialization throughout the day. All of our boarding buddies are put in a kennel or crate while resting and eating. This is mainly for safety reasons, but also allows them to have a better chance of getting the rest and fuel that they need – especially after a full day of play and socialization!

Overnight boarding costs $45 per day.

On the weekdays, all the dogs are let out around 7:00 am and they then eat breakfast around 7:30 am. All feedings are done in their kennel or crate for safety reasons. Their food is given a chance to settle (to help avoid bloating and throwing up their food) and they are then let back out for daycare socialization around 8:00 am. Nap-time is typically around 1:00 pm and is 1.5 to 2 hours long. Daycare socialization runs until about 6:00 pm and that is when they eat dinner. The dogs are taken out one more time to stretch their legs and to go poddy. They then go into their personal kennel or crate to sleep for the night.

On the weekends and holidays, there isn’t always a specific schedule like during the week, but we average 7-10 hours of cage-free time for the dogs. We make sure the dogs aren’t in their kennels or crates for too long in order to help avoid accidents and make the dogs more comfortable. The amount of cage-free time depends on who is scheduled for that weekend/holiday and is typically broken up throughout the day into 2-3 increments.

All dogs are fed a maximum of 3 times a day while boarding. This is to help ensure they get the most cage-free/playtime possible (most dogs need time to let their food settle to avoid bloating and vomiting). All dogs are put in their personal kennel or crate so they can be left alone with their food and eat their meal while not being bothered. This also helps with food aggression issues. Treats are also welcome, of course! We love to spoil them as much as possible during their stay with us!

Dog beds and/or blankets are welcome assuming your dog enjoys them. We want your pooch to be as comfortable as possible while resting after a hard day of play!

We have two pick-up times on the weekend. They are 9:am or 5:30 pm and need to be scheduled in order to ensure we have someone ready during those times. We also have a drop-off time at 9:00 am. This also needs to be scheduled.

We do allow drop-off and pick-up times on major holidays with no extra charge.

We spend the time it takes to properly introduce a dog into the daycare pack so that he is comfortable and free of anxiety. We have separate rooms and areas to give the dogs the time and space it takes to feel secure and comfortable before allowing them to incorporate into the pack. We are also careful to only allow dogs in our program that are sociable and safe to bring into our daycare environment.