Rules, Regulations & Policies

 

 

**Please note that we do not accept out of state dogs for daycare or for boarding. We also do not accept/evaluate dogs that only want to board.**

 

The purpose of Hello, Doggie’s daycare program is to provide a stimulating, fun, and safe social environment for dogs. To ensure the happiness, safety and health of your pet and other cast members, we require all members and those auditioning to comply with the following:

 

AGE: All dogs must be at least 8 weeks of age or older.

 

SPAY/NEUTER: All dogs must be spayed or neutered by 18 months year of age. Exceptions exist for male dogs if they meet specific behavior requirements. Un-spayed females will not be allowed on site if they show signs of heat or are of interest to the other dogs.

 

VACCINES: All dogs must have up-to-date vaccinations and a clean fecal exam from within the past 12 months. Vaccinations required are DHLPP (Distemper Combo), Rabies and Kennel Cough (Bordetella). Puppies under 3 months of age in daycare or training classes need only their first DHLPP booster and Bordetella to attend. Proof of your dog’s vaccinations must be received prior to or on the date of their audition. It is the client’s responsibility to provide updated vaccination records as needed.

 

FLEA/TICK: All dogs must be kept on a regular flea and tick control program. Topical treatments should be applied more than 48 hours before your dog visits the facility if you are not bathing them after application—topical treatments are toxic if ingested by other dogs during play. We will refuse dogs at the door with any visible, smelly streaks from topical treatments. Our vet suggests washing off any remaining residue after 2 hours of applying topical treatment.

 

HEALTH: All cast members must be in good health. Owners will certify that their dog is healthy and has not been ill with a communicable disease within the past 30 days. Upon admission, all dogs must be free from any condition which could potentially jeopardize other canine cast members. We have a 3 cough policy—if we hear your dog cough in a way consistent to kennel cough three times, we will quarantine your dog and call you immediately to request pickup. Dogs that have been ill with a communicable condition in the last 30 days will require veterinary confirmation of health to be admitted or readmitted.

If your dog shows signs of illness at home, keep them home! Signs include, but are not limited to:

        -Coughing/hacking

        -Diarrhea

        -Discharge from eyes/nose

        -Vomiting and/or lack of appetite

Always call or email us if your dog shows signs of illness or is confirmed ill by a veterinarian—it is our priority to keep EVERYONE healthy!
 

BEHAVIOR: Owners will certify that their dogs have not harmed or shown any signs of aggression or threatening behavior towards any person or other dogs.

Please remember that the safety and health of all cast members is our main concern. Should your dog display dangerous or concerning behaviors at any time in our care, the owner will be notified, and private training may be advised. We reserve the right to ask any cast member to pause their daycare or boarding attendance until a proper behavioral assessment or behavioral progress has been made. We will always do our best to help you and your dog succeed as a team as well as help them succeed at daycare. However, for some dogs, daycare is NOT their ideal environment, and we respect that very much. We are also a smaller facility and can only accommodate so many dogs—therefore it matters even more that they are happy, stress-free, and properly stimulated through daycare!

 

AUDITION: All dogs must schedule and pass an audition to become a member of the Hello, Doggie! cast. Auditionees must have at least 2 WEEKS time between their last visit to a dog park, another facility, or unregulated playtime with any dogs and the date of their Audition. Their Audition consists of a half day of daycare, 6 HOURS, where they are acclimated to the facility, our staff, and the other dogs at their own pace. It is most important to us that new cast members ENJOY daycare! We will call and request pickup of any dog who shows signs of stress or fear—the last thing we want is for your dog to have a bad experience during their first exposure to daycare.

 

 Here is a breakdown of how Auditions go:  

-Auditionees are welcomed into the Mainstage of the daycare.

They are given as much time as needed to explore the entire room, get used to new sounds and smells, and interact with staff. We look for loose, relaxed, and neutral body language.

          -Auditionees, once they are in a neutral state or state of positive excitement, will begin by meeting Yankee Doodle. Yankee Doodle is Shannon’s pride and joy Goldendoodle, Ambassador and Mascot of Hello, Doggie! Yankee’s neutral disposition is as non-threatening as they come, which is a gift when introducing new dogs!

          -Once Auditionees are relaxed and content, we begin introducing Shannon’s other dogs. She has a handful of them--all with different, friendly personalities. If Auditionees show strong signs of fear or any reactivity at this time, everything is put on pause. Depending on the severity of the situation and the Auditionee’s ability to redirect, we may need to schedule a CALLBACK AUDITION. We will never continue with an Audition if dogs are uncomfortable, stressed, scared, or unfriendly. There are no exceptions. We will remove dogs from the room if necessary, swap out personalities if necessary, or go back to square one if dogs at any time seem overwhelmed. (This is why the Audition is for 6 hours—we take our time and let all new dogs tell us what they are or are not ready for). *It is vital to note at this time that if owners are unable to pick up their dog should they be unhappy or stressed during the Audition, the Auditionee will be kept separate from all other dogs. We will keep them as stress-free as possible until they are able to go home. We always call right away if an Auditionee is not having a positive experience*

          -After Shannon’s dogs, we begin introducing some of our regular, amazing Cast! Auditionees are loose, excited, and showing strong social skills at this time.

          -Once Auditionees have met the majority of dogs inside, we move the whole group back outside!

          -From this time until pickup, we are closely observing dogs for any signs of stress and looking for what may trigger it. Rest period is a crucial time of observance in addition to pick-up time. This is why no dog can be picked up early from Auditions without needing reschedule to get the full 6 hours. We observe Auditionees for many things, including: their play style, respect of other dogs, ability to give and take appropriate correction, tolerance, ability to be handled, resource guarding behavior, self-regulation, leash-manners/comfortability on lead, politeness/respect at doorways and gates, barrier reactivity, and so much more!

 

 

CALLBACKS: Dogs that show strong signs of fear during their audition towards the staff, facility, or other dogs will be asked to schedule a callback audition. This will allow us to help your dog acclimate to the facility and build trust with our staff at their own pace before attending daycare full time or before any boarding.

 

ATTENDANCE: We are now requiring all dogs to attend daycare at least once weekly. We understand life happens, however, and we may run into times where that is not easy for clients to maintain. We will not be able to board your dog unless they meet this minimum requirement. We find that holding this standard of attendance helps us AND your dog--we have a stronger relationship, they have stronger relationships with other dogs, and we can predict their behavior while in our care. Sporadic visits benefit no one and are incredibly stressful for all dogs and staff.

 

VISITING DOG PARKS OR OTHER FACILITIES/QUARANTINE PERIOD: We have implemented this policy to keep all dogs as healthy as possible. It is your right as a dog owner to bring your dog wherever, whenever you choose, for whatever reason. However, any clients whose dogs frequent dog parks or other facilities will need to wait two weeks before coming into the building after their last visit to heavily dog-populated areas. We aren’t talking about hiking or dog events or pet stores or your vet and groomer.  Hello, Doggie! is a regulated, sanitary, and healthy environment and it only takes one dog to bring in disease. Your dog may not be symptomatic from potential disease, but when our clients visit other facilities or dog parks, they put every dog who walks into this building also at risk to what they may have come into contact with. We are not taking that risk and will not be able to make exceptions. THIS POLICY APPLIES TO OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS AS WELL. Clients will need to choose between facilities or wait a 2-week period before coming into the building.

Again, this is not for the sake of our business—it is for the health and safety of all dogs that regularly visit Hello, Doggie.

 

 

RESERVATIONS/SCHEDULING: Reservations are required to hold your dog’s spot in the Hello, Doggie! daily ensemble. These can be scheduled monthly, weekly, or with a phone call or email a day in advance (or morning of) the day you are planning to bring your dog in. Because we have a set capacity, add-ons can only be accepted as space will allow.

Reserving your dog’s space allows for us to always be prepared going into each week with the proper amount of staffing. Please be aware that if your dog is scheduled to come in for daycare and we do not receive any notice of cancellation, you will be charged the rate for which your dog was scheduled.

 

PAYMENT: Payment for daycare, enrichment, and training services are due at the time services are rendered. We accept all forms of payment. Weekly payments must be received at the beginning of the week. Checks must be made out to “Hello Doggie”. A fee of $25 is charged for any returned check.

 

REFUND POLICY:  Should you decide, or our staff advise, that daycare is no longer the best fit for your dog, we will happily offer you a refund for the portion of packages unused. However, this policy only applies to current clients. For example, if you have not been in attendance for 4 weeks or greater, with no communication about a time of absence,(except for traveling or out-of-state clients), we will not be able to provide you with a refund. *We have set expiration dates on package usage to be as fair as possible to all clients, year round.*

 

DAILY ROUTINE: This is the schedule of your dog’s day as well as our drop-off and pickup hours. 
6:00am-10:30am Drop Off!

**10:30am-2:00pm** NO DROP-OFF OR PICK-UP DURING THIS TIME. We will have regulated, enriching playtime as well as a lunch hour from 12:00pm-1:00pm for those with meals.

2:00pm-5:30pm Pick-Up