              
Frequently Asked Questions about Doggie Day CareWhat is Doggie Day
Care? Can any dog come
to Doggie Day Care? Are there certain
breeds of dogs you do not accept? Now, are some certain dogs (remember not breeds, but dogs) aggressive? Of course...these particular dogs can not come to day care. But these are dogs who were not socialized properly, did not learn bite inhibition as a puppy etc. Any individual who tells you (and this goes for other doggie day cares) they don't allow "aggressive breeds" are simply uneducated people who follow the stereotype of a bad dog. This should be a HUGE red flag to you, they think they are preventing problems by simply denying day care for "bad breeds". I honestly believe they are setting themselves up for a huge problem. It tells me they have no idea how to properly screen a dog, and this could result in a huge problem. Rumor has it you
are full anyway... what to do? We do require people come down in person to get on the list. You fill out some contact information about you and we talk about your dog and their behavior and experiences. Then, if after 6 months you have not heard from us we ask that you call us to let us know you still want to be on our wait list. If a spot becomes available and there are dogs on the list whose guardians have not called in, we simply call the next dog who has called. This prevents us from keeping dogs on the list who no longer need day care as their situation has changed. So although we may have many dogs on the list, you may get in sooner than you think! Believe me...we are worth the wait! If you are in need of day care services now, please feel free to call us and we will gladly give you a reference to another local doggie day care provider. We are happy to help. Please know, we would only recommend another service who has the same standards as we do, and would never recommend a facility that does not have qualified trainers on staff at all times. * Something you should know....we work VERY hard here at TAW to provide your dogs with the best day possible. Not only do we provide fun organized games and activities but solid training work on good manners. If you choose to take your dog to a doggie day care facility that is not up to our standards, your dog will not be allowed at TAW. Let me explain why. At TAW we are constantly working with positive reinforcement clicker training to secure good manners...those very manners can fly right out the door if allowed to by another facility who is not properly trained in canine obedience. We will not spend all of our time "fixing" what other facilities have allowed to occur. Every moment your dog is here is spent loving, caring, playing, training, grooming and an all around good time with trained staff. What is required
of my dog?
What do the dogs do all day?
Tails-A-Wagging is not like any day care you have ever known before. For the dogs at our day care their day is very structured. Most dogs are dropped off between 7 and 9 am. We break off into groups in the early morning (at 7:30am), and do lots of free play for a few hours, usually with minimal toys so the dogs can meet and greet. Each play group has their own indoor play room and own yard. The dogs rotate in and out all day long. Typically that is 1 hr inside and 20 minutes outside. All dogs get a rest time during the day. Our rest time is in a crate with a soft bed and a stuffed Kong. If a dog has a mid day meal, we can use this to stuff their Kong at rest time. Any dogs who need medication can be given it as needed throughout the day.
Our goal at Tails-A-Wagging, is to work your
dogs body AND mind. We want them tired-out at the end of the day from
playing, socializing and experiencing many new things. Interactive
games, grooming time, clicker training time- are just some of our
activities. We are constantly working on good behaviors thru only reward
based training...since the dogs are NEVER left alone by themselves,
someone is always working with them. Sitting and waiting at every door
to learning new tricks, we provide it all for your dog! (and at no
additional charge) The bulk of the day is spent clicker training,
chewing, interactive games, pool time, teeth brushing (yes, every dog
gets their teeth brushed every day), petting, loving, and group
wrestling games. Most dogs then get picked up between 4 and 6pm
Can I come and see
the facility? Is Tails-A-Wagging a "Green" Business? YES! All of our indoor flooring is rubber...made from 100% recycled tires. We use bio degradable cleaners when ever possible (our daily sanitation product is specifically formulated to prevent canine disease) All wall paint is low VOC. We are part of the Towards Zero Waste Program with Sustainable Connections. www.sustainableconnections.org We generate 80% less waste than other Doggie Day Care's. We recycle all paper, cardboard, cans, glass, food/compostable items, formed and film plastic. We use biodegradable poo pick up bags at our potty stations. We reduce our waste by purchasing products in which the packaging can be recycled. We use our Food Plus Bin for all compostable waste. We have on site compost and worm bins, for use in our landscape. We use washable hand towels instead of paper towels, whenever possible. Dog waste is primarily our only waste product that goes into the trash/landfill. We buy and serve only vegan dog food and treats. (yup...we're vegan too!) What about fleas? The outdoor yard is asphalt, isn't that hard on their paws? We have two outdoor yards. One for large dogs and one for small dogs. The substrate is asphalt although this is a hard ground it is actually a recommended ground for outdoor yards in Doggie Day Care's because it can be cleaned and sanitized. Our dog yards are cleaned and sanitized every day. Grass would not only turn to mud and be impossible to clean if internal or external parasites were brought in. The outdoor yard is fully fenced with 6 foot chain link fence that is secured to steel poles embedded into the asphalt ground. Our indoor play area is covered with wall to wall SEALED rubber mats for cushion. The dogs are taken out to the yard every 30 minutes for potty time. Every time a dog goes potty outside we reward them by marking the behavior with a "click" then a treat. How many dogs come to
Doggie Day Care? What about big
dogs and small dogs together? Do the dogs fight? What do the dogs do
all day? What type of toys dog
you use? My dog is shy around
other dogs, is Doggie Day Care right for us? What kind of training
do you have? How much does is
cost? All fees are per dog Single daily rate: $24.00 Payment for a pre-paid package must be paid before service is rendered in order to receive the discount.
Multiple dog discount of 10% off given to dogs living in the same household. Why is it just during
the day? Can I board my dog overnight? What if my dog is not
accepted into Doggie Day Care?
Tails-A-Wagging Doggie Day Care Rules and Regulations 2010
Hours of operation: Day Care hours are Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm. We are by reservation only.
Drop off Times: Dogs scheduled for a full day can be dropped off between 7:00am and 9:00am. All dogs are required to be at TAW by 9:00am. Please understand, all dogs must be here by 9:00am. Occasionally you may have an emergency and be running late. If this is the case you may call us BEFORE 9am to let us know you will be late. Dropping your dog off by 9:00am is a requirement for you to keep and maintain your standing reservation. We apologize but are unable to make any exceptions to this rule.
Pick Up Time: All dogs must be picked up by 6:00pm. Most dogs are picked up between 4pm and 6pm, although you are welcome to pick up anytime.
Pick Up Time and Late Policy: All dogs must be picked up by 6:00pm. Most dogs are picked up between 4pm and 6pm, although you are welcome to pick up anytime during normal office hours. We value your time, as well as ours, and our late policy is a strict one.
Arriving late (after 6pm) to pick up your dog will result in a late fee. Fees are as follows:
1st late incident: $1.00 per minute per dog 2nd late incident: $2.00 per minute per dog 3rd late incident: $3.00 per minute per dog 4th late incident: your dog will not be allowed to return to day care
Standing Reservations/ Cancellations: This is a day or days that you have requested an ongoing reservation for your dog. We guarantee the spot for you and in return ask that if your dog will not be coming in you give us 24 hrs notice. (That is 7:00 am the day before) This gives us adequate time to call a dog on the wait list to fill your spot. Anything less that 24 hours notice and you will be charged full fees for that day. The office is closed over the weekends, if you need to cancel a Monday reservation it must be done by 6:00pm on the Friday prior.
Holiday Closures Every year we close over the following dates: * From Dec 24th thru Jan 1st * Memorial Day * July 4th * Labor Day * Thanksgiving day and the Friday after Thanksgiving These are the only holidays we close.
Inclement Weather We are proud to day we have NEVER been closed due to inclement weather. You can be assured we will always be open. We know that although some dogs come to day care for the pure fun of it, many come out of necessity because of your work schedule. We respect and honor that. Please be aware that our cancellation policy still holds for inclement weather. If you know you cannot drive in the snow… we recommend canceling your dogs reservation as you will be charged for late cancel if you do not give us 24hr notice. Occasionally an obedience class may be cancelled due to inclement weather but your trainer will always contact you.
Referrals for other pet services: If you are in need of a referral for day care services (if we are full), dog walking or pet sitting please feel free to call us and we will gladly give you a reference to another local pet care provider. There are some very quality service providers here in Bellingham and we are happy to help. Please know, we would only recommend another service who has the same standards as we do, and would never recommend another day care facility that does not have qualified trainers on staff at all times.
* Something you should know....we work VERY hard here at TAW to provide your dogs with the best day possible. Not only do we provide fun organized games and activities but solid training work on good manners. If you choose to take your dog to a doggie day care facility that is not up to our standards, your dog will not be allowed at TAW. Let me explain why. At TAW we are constantly working with positive reinforcement clicker training to secure good manners...those very manners can fly right out the door if allowed to by another facility who is not properly trained in canine obedience. We will not spend all of our time "fixing" what other facilities have allowed to occur. Every moment your dog is here is spent loving, caring, playing, training, grooming and an all around good time with trained staff.
Leashes All dogs must be on a leash, in a carrier or physically carried in when coming in and leaving from day care. Although your dog may have great abilities off leash, our parking lot is not the place for it! We have provided spare leashes by the front door to assist you. Please understand our biggest concern is for your dogs safety.
CollarsAll dog must have a quick release collar while at day care. No martingale, limited slip, chain or buckle type will be allowed in the playrooms for safety reasons.
Who’s Who, on the web site If your dog’s picture is not on the who’s who web page- the fastest way to get them there is to email us a picture (jpeg format). We will write the bio and it can be up in 48 hours.
Doggie Snacks At TAW we provide each and every dog with a snack in the middle of the day. However if your dog requires a special snack we ask that you bring it in a CLEAR- ZIPLOC type baggie with your pets name (FIRST AND LAST) clearly labeled on it. (Black sharpie-pen is easiest for us to see)
Authorization to pickup your dog Remember, only individuals that you have authorized will be allowed to pick up your dog from day care. Please do not send any one to do so if we have not had written confirmation from you. Once we receive their information we can enter them into the computer (name and phone contact information) and it will be your responsibility to have us remove them from the list should your situation change.
Your Dog’s Physical Health Some canine diseases can be contagious to other dogs. For the health and safety of all the dogs at day care, we ask that if your dog is showing ANY of the following symptoms you do not send them to day care: Vomiting, Diarrhea, Coughing, Sneezing (not allergy related) and Lethargy. If, when at day care, the staff notices that your dog appears ill, your dog will be isolated and you will be called to come and pick up your dog. If medical attention is needed for your dog, a note or call from your veterinarian may be required for his return.
The vaccines we
require are:
Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus, (this is a combo vaccine also known as DHPP) We require DHPP every 3 years for an adult dog Rabies We require Rabies every 3 years for an adult dog Bordetella If vaccine administered intranasal (drops in the nose) we require Bordetella every 6 months. If vaccine administered as an injection, we require Bordetella every year. Puppies must receive a series of vaccines before 5 months of age then yearly until pet becomes an adult. If your pet has only recently been vaccinated for the first time, a waiting period of 10 days is required. Titer Testing: We do accept titer testing for all vaccines, except Rabies, for dogs over 3 years of age.
Fecal Test Your dog is required to have a negative fecal test upon attending day care for the first time, as well as a test every 6 months.
Fleas We pride ourselves on having an extremely clean environment. All dogs who come to day care need to be free of all external parasite (fleas, ticks etc) We require that your dog is on a flea preventive during the months of April thru October. If a flea is found on your dog while they are at day care your dog may be sent home. If we have availability to give your dog a bath, we may choose to do so at your expense.
Your Dogs Mental Health Dogs, being sentient beings, can be very “tuned in” to the stresses at home. If there are any changes in your household we ask that you keep us informed. We can often see a change in your dogs behavior when they are under stress and it is helpful for us to know so we can better deal with the situation. Examples of stresses to your dog can be, but are not limed to: * Home Remodels * Vacations of any family member * someone new into the household * Someone leaving the house hold * A new pet * Loss of an existing pet * New medications for your pet We are not trying to be nosey…. We care about your pets well being |
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