Welcome!

Thank you for entrusting your fur baby to us! We go above and beyond to provide a safe environment. We supervise the fur kids closely, but can not control every dog interaction or everything in the environment.  Please read over the following information.

BENEFITS VS RISKS

Illness

Similar to children in school, bugs can be passed from dog to dog in a group environment. From a simple tummy bug to the canine flu or Bordatella (aka Kennel/Canine Cough) and/or fecal oral parasites.

Prevention/Treatment: We require the bordatella vaccine and we recommend the canine flu vaccine, but both have different strains of the bacteria/virus, so you can vaccinate for one strain but still get another. We also require fecal checks every 6 month and disinfect your play yards weekly.

I understand there is an increased risk of infectious disease by boarding my fur friend. I agree not to bring my dog to boarding if s/he exhibits any of the following symptoms within 24 hours of attendance; vomiting, cough/hack, fever, lethargy, discharge from eyes/nose or suspicious rash. I understand if my dog exhibits any of these symptoms while in our care, my pet will be put in a special quarantine area for the protection of all the fur guests in attendance. VIPs will be given a daily Nature Walk in lieu of Community Play Time.

Fleas/Ticks

We highly recommend having your dog on flea/tick prevention! Ticks especially are prevalent in our area! If you use the Soresto Flea/Tick collars, we will remove the collar during play times and while your dog is in their suite, but will put them on for Nature Walks. The Soresto collars do not have a quick release option, so they pose a safety risk.

Prevention/Treatment: We will remove a tick if we find one on your dog, but if we see any fleas, your pet will be given an immediate flea/tick bath and you will be responsible for any grooming fees.

I understand I will be responsible for any charges associated with my dog having fleas/ticks.

Stress Diarrhea

Dogs process stress very differently than humans. They do not process negative stress and positive stress separately, so the stress of a busy, fun filled day can cause some stress diarrhea, especially for new boarding friends.

Prevention/Treatment: If your dog has diarrhea while in our care, we will start your dog on a vet recommended diarrhea protocol where we give weight appropriate dosages of Imodium and feeding will be withheld for the first 24 hours to give the dog’s digestive tract time to settle down. We will then start the dog on a bland chicken and rice diet and slowly integrate their regular diet back in. If your dog has an accident in their suite, they will be given a bath and laundry service.There are fees associated with these extra services, unless you purchase the Health Care Warranty.

I agree to the above diarrhea protocol should my dog get diarrhea while in your care.

Doggie Disagreements and Boo Boos

Dogs are pack animals and operate on pack structure and hierarchy. They may “scuffle” for dominance and/or position. With this said, doggie disagreements are inevitable. Most are just a form of communication and although they are loud and sometimes physical, they do not result in injury…similar to kids getting into a pushing match.

We will always alert you if your dog has been involved in a doggie disagreement. We classify them as “appropriate in nature” and “inappropriate in nature”. If the disagreement was “inappropriate in nature”, a consult via phone or email, with the owner and Certified Trainer Deb Lewis, will be necessary before your dog can return to Community Playtime.

Dogs play by “mouthing” and some have to learn to play appropriately….until they do, they can mouth another fur friend a little too hard causing a little puncture to their friend’s ear, muzzle, neck, etc. We do our best to keep the play at an appropriate level, but some dogs love to play rambunctiously! They also run, jump, wrestle and dig and can get a few boo boos here and there. We’ve had dogs get scrapes/cuts from running into the play equipment, break a toenail by jumping on the gates, pull a muscle from over exertion or stopping/starting too quickly and the pea stone in the play yards can cause some sensitivity to some dog’s pads of their feet until their pads toughen up a little (similar to going barefoot the first few times in the summer).

Prevention/Treatment: We do everything we can to keep the fur kids safe, but at the end of the day, the VIP Package includes Community Play time, and we can regulate, but not control every dog interaction. A few minor boo boos are to be expected.

 

Our Vaccination Requirements

• Negative fecal test result within the last 6 months
• A negative heartworm test if your fur kid is a year or older
• Bordatella vaccination
• Distemper combo vaccination
• Rabies vaccination
• We recommend (but not require) the parainfluenza and H3N3/H3N8 combo vaccines.

We require that proof of these vaccinations be faxed over from your veterinarian in advance of your pet’s stay. Fax number: 616-984-4560 PLEASE NOTE: We highly recommend calling a few days before your dog’s schedule boarding to ensure we have received vaccine information from your vet and you have all the required vaccines.

Check In: Check in time is 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and/or 6-7 p.m., 7 days/week. We a very busy facility, so to ensure your pet’s suite is disinfected and ready for his/her arrival, we ask you adhere to the drop off time you selected on your reservation form. We can not guarantee an early check in.

Check Out: Check out time is 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and/or 6-7 p.m, 7 days/week. After 12 p.m. check out is an extra day’s charge. To ensure the suite is disinfected and ready for the next fur guest, we ask you adhere to the drop off time you selected on your reservation form. If you are late, and we are full, your fur friend will be crated until your arrival.

Payment: We accept cash, check and all major credit cards. There is a $2/night cash discount and a 2.5% surcharge on credit card transactions.

What to bring:

• Food
• Bowls: We provide bowls for food and water
• Treats:  If you so desire. We do not give the fur kids anything that is not brought from home. Something to safely chew on helps reduce stress that may occur from being in a new place and meeting new friends. Please note, there are times the fur kids are not supervised in their suites, so choose your chew toy/bone accordingly.
• Bedding is optional, but recommended. Each fur guest will receive a Kuranda bed or Kennel Decking, and we have extra bedding, but familiar scents are comforting in a new place, so your fur baby may prefer his/her own bed.
• Toys…well of course! Again keep in mind there are times the fur kids are not supervised in their suites, so keep safety in mind when selecting what toys to bring.
• Collars: You may bring your dog in/out of the facility on the collar of your choice, but for safety in the play yards, VIP guests must come with an additional “quick release” collar. If you have any questions about what a quick release collar is, we are happy to assist. We do not recommend you bring their collar with their tags on it. Tags can get caught in teeth and toenails during play and can get lost in the yards.
• Leash: Your dog should be on leash (in your possession) at all times coming and going to and from the facility.
• Medication: Please bring all medication in it’s original container. If your fur friend is a fussy pill taker, we recommend bringing something yummy, like cheese, peanut butter or pill pockets to put the medication in. We have pill pockets available for purchase at check in. If you do not bring anything to put medication in, we will “pill” your fur friend (gently open mouth, put pill on back of tongue.) PLEASE NOTE: It is our policy not to put medication in a fur guest’s food (unless the medication is made to go on food in liquid or powder form.) The reason is, many dogs will not eat under stress, so if we put the medication in the food, the dog may miss getting their medication.

 

A few tidbits of information

• Our visiting friends are always happy to greet new friends.  When you first enter the facility, it may be very loud with all the welcoming cheers.  This really only occurs when new people come.  The dogs settle down quickly, and it’s usually pretty quiet.  We are happy to give you a tour upon arrival, but please ask for a tour before you bring your fur friend in.
• Expect your dog to come home tired and dirty from playing outside with friends if they are VIP’s.  Most dogs are not used to the amount of fun and activity they receive here.  If you want your dog to play with other dogs, please understand you assume the risk involved. Similar to kids on a playground, a few bumps and bruises are not uncommon if your dog is playing with friends and even though the yards are staffed at all times, dogs may engage in some scuffles to settle differences.  We do everything in our power to prevent “disagreements”, but dogs will be dogs and there is the risk of injury.
•  Please review the terms carefully on the contract you are signing.
• Any changes to reservations (including cancellations) must be made 72 hours prior to scheduled drop off day and time, or you will be billed for your dog’s entire stay, unless we can fill the reservation.If you are booking your pet for Christmas/New Years, Spring Break, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day or Thanksgiving you must secure your reservation with a credit card. Your credit card will not be charged unless you cancel your reservation and your dog’s spot can not be filled.
• Holiday Refund Policy: There will be no refunds for holiday reservations!
• We highly recommend you take advantage or our grooming service just prior to picking up your pet.  Exit baths, nail trims or a full spa day is available.
• Just a reminder that we offer a “FREE TRIAL” for new boarders!!
• We encourage you to “like” Dogs Bay Country Club for Dogs on Facebook. We will be posting pictures daily.

Looking forward to meeting you and your 4-legged friend!!

Deb Lewis and the Dogs Bay Team