Boarding Requirements and Instructions

Vaccination Requirements

  • Rabies
  • DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvo, parainfluenza)
  • Bordetella

We require that all vaccines be administered at least two weeks prior to boarding if they have expired or have not been previously administered. This allows time for a proper immune response to build before introducing the dog to a community environment. We require that owners provide us with proof of these vaccinations before dropping off for the first time and again whenever a vaccination is updated. The veterinary record must show an expiration date for each vaccine given. All records must be emailed. If we have not received your dog’s vaccine updates before you drop off and we have to contact your veterinarian you will be charged a $15 vaccine request fee per pet.

Flea and Tick Prevention

We require that you treat your dog with a topical or oral flea and tick preventative year-round. Flea collars are not allowed at our facility. If the application date of a topical preventative is coming due near or during a boarding reservation, please apply it more than 48 hours before arrival. Update us annually on your product choice.

Medication

We administer medications at no additional charge. Bring all medications and supplements in the original packaging; do not add them to bagged meals. Medication is administered when we feed, typically between 9-10:30 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. Medication is not administered outside of these hours so ask your vet if this scheduling works for your dog’s prescription requirements. We cannot board dogs with complex medical needs or those requiring injectable medication.

Behavioral and Health Requirements for Boarding

  • We must be able to safely handle dogs on leash to board them at our facility. We have clients remove (and keep) each dog’s leash and collar at the car. We use our leather slip leashes to bring dogs to and from the car. The exception would be a dog who must use a harness due to a collapsing trachea. The harness must fit well and we must be able to safely put it on and remove it. Collars and harnesses are not worn in the kennel as they could be a choke risk.
  • We cannot accept dogs who: (1) display barrier reactivity or aggression (fence-line fighting); (2) are overly reactive to other dogs; (3) are known escape artists or fence climbers; or (4) are aggressive with people.
  • Dogs must be willing and able to eliminate on the concrete in their attached, outdoor exercise runs. We cannot accommodate dogs who must be walked on leash for routine toileting.
  • We require a six-week window between adoption and boarding with us. This allows the dog to bond with its new family and gives the family time to determine if there are any health or behavioral issues of concern.
  • Dogs must be in stable health and fully ambulatory. We have found that either veterinary care or home care is more appropriate for dogs with mobility limitations and those with emerging, acute, or complex medical needs. We do not administer injectable medications. We do not accept dogs for boarding if they are actively symptomatic with respiratory, gastrointestinal, or urinary tract illness. Dogs must be free from communicable illness for at least 30 days prior to boarding.
  • We do not accept intact females when they are in heat or expected to go into heat during a board.
  • We require a two-week window between any surgical procedure and arriving for boarding. Sutures, if any, must be removed, incisions must be fully healed and any post-operative rehab must be completed prior to boarding.
  • We reserve the right to deny service anytime we think it is unsafe or unwise to accept a dog for boarding.

Home Food Prep

  • The dogs are fed in the morning and late afternoon after they have exercised in the outdoor runs. If bringing food from home we require that you:
  • Individually bag your dog’s food in resealable plastic bags or disposable paper bags (brown lunch bags, LunchSkins, etc.). Paper bags must be securely sealed with tape (no staples).
  • We require two individually bagged meals for every day your dog will be boarded with us. To calculate the number of meals needed, multiply the number of days your dog will be boarded by two. Household pairs: If both dogs share a kennel and eat the same food brand and formula, package their meals together (two individually bagged meals per day instead of four) and we’ll split the meals appropriately when feeding.
  • Place a paper tag inside each bag with your dog’s name and your last name. Do not write on the outside of the bag instead of placing a paper tag inside the bag.
  • Pack a few extra meals in case you’re delayed. Unused meals will be returned to you.
  • If bringing treats, distribute them in the bagged meals. Do not add treats that persist if your dog shares or will be evaluated for shared boarding. NO RAWHIDES.
  • Do not add medication or supplements to bagged meals; bring them separately in the original packaging.
  • Bring these meals in disposable or reusable bags, not plastic bins.

Failure to follow our food prep instructions will result in a $20 food prep service fee per visit.

Paper name tags must be placed inside all bagged meals.

If you choose not to bring home food we feed Purina Dog Chow at no additional charge. We provide all food bowls and water buckets. We DO NOT feed raw foods (meat, fish, dairy, eggs). We cannot return baggies due to the volume of clients we serve.

Items from Home

We are no longer accepting items from home since they can play a role in the transmission of various canine illnesses. We will provide additional, freshly laundered bedding and disinfected toys as needed.