Is someone at the facility overnight? Yes! Three nights per week, someone is physically here at the facility overnight. The other four nights, cameras are monitored all night remotely, with three employees available for any emergencies less than a 3 minute drive away (including the owner!)
Does the overnight staff on-site disrupt the dogs? No! Our on-site employee remains in our lobby to monitor the cameras, while the suites are down the hallway from the lobby. Noise does not carry, so the only disturbance would be our employee needing to go down in the event of an issue or emergency.
I want to board, but I'm worried my dog won't do well. We run trial nights for this very reason, and we only schedule them specifically on nights where an overnight employee is physically present.
What time do your employees leave for the night? Our PM staff leaves no earlier than 8:45 PM, and as late as 10 PM. Our PM staff stays until everyone sleeping over is taken care of for the night. To make sure your dog will be situated for sleep time, they will have two final potty breaks before bedtime: one around 7PM, and the last no earlier than 8:00, no matter how many dogs are sleeping over with us. This gives your dog plenty of time to digest their dinner quietly, stretch their legs on their first nighttime outing, and do their business on the second. We even track our boarder's bowel movements while they're here, so we can get a good idea of your dog's schedule and ensure that those who like to go at night, do.
Can I bring my dog's own belongings? Yes! For food, we don't want to cause any unnecessary GI upset while your pup is here, so we maintain the same diet they have at home. We ask that you bag your meals individually to further organize our dog kitchen and ensure everyone can continue to bring their own meals. For bedding, a familiar bed or blanket can bring comfort when your dog is away from home, and we'd love to put their beds into their suites for them at night. Our only exception to this rule is if your dog has a history of destroying/chewing/ripping their bed, at which time we will discuss options during your check-in. The only belongings we do not want from home are toys and chews. Chews can be unsafe when not monitored, and we are unable to monitor 100% of the time while your dog is in their suite. Toys can pose the same issues, and for that reason we prefer these stay at home.
Are dogs separated by size? Yes! We create our play groups based on size, age, and play style to make sure everyone is playing in a group that they will enjoy.
How many outdoor areas are there? We have sixyards for our play groups + a large enrichment-specific yard, for seven total!
Will my dog always get to play outside? Your dog will play outside whenever it is safe to do so! Fresh air is important for everyone, our dogs included. We try to provide as much as that as we can. Extreme weather will prompt indoor play, but mild snow and rain will not stop us from having fun outside. For our little dogs, who may not do so well in the snow as our big dogs, we may also have an indoor-play day to keep them warm and safe.
I'm worried my dog won't enjoy playing with others. What will happen? We understand that dog-to-dog interaction and play is not for everyone. Some dogs prosper, and other dogs do not receive anything positive. In fact, some dogs flat out don't like it. We get it! When a dog displays discomfort in a group play setting, they will be considered for our single-play program. Single play dogs get one on one attention from our staff and get private out-time in one of our play yards.
I have two dogs, will they be separated at night? This is discussed on a case by case basis. We will ask questions about their usual sleeping arrangements at home, how they choose to spend their nights if they free roam, how long your dogs have shared your home together, etc. Based on these answers, we will determine if your dogs are eligible to share one of our suites! We have many boarders who share a 'bedroom' overnight with us.
What if my dog gets injured or sick? Your dog is our top priority, and we will not beat around the bush if your pup needs medical attention. When boarding, you provide us with a local emergency contact who must be available to come and get your dog if necessary, and also let us know how reachable you will be while away. We will reach out through the chain of contacts to get your dog picked up and to a vet if we feel it is necessary. If we are unable to get a hold of anyone, we will take your dog ourselves for an extra cost, and assess the situation from there.
I have a grooming appointment: does my dog have to be there all day? No! Grooming appointments have set times during the day. You will have a set arrival time, and you pick your pup up when they're all done. By doing this, we eliminate the stress factor of having multiple dogs in our grooming space at once.