FAQs

Although we strive to maintain the safest and most sterile environment, like all things in life, the potential for illness and injury does exist, especially in a fully-interactive environment. Whether it is a school cafeteria, vacation resort or in the workplace, we are exposed to germs on a constant basis. Like humans, both the very young and the very old dogs are more prone to illness. We care for over 200,000 visitors a year across all our locations. Out of those 200,000 there will inevitably be a handful of pulled muscles, minor scratches, occasional nips and kennel cough.

YES. As hard as we work to make our doggie daycare a home away from home for your best friend, things happen and we need to make sure all parties understand this. Injuries and illness can come with the territory of fully interactive doggie daycare, and it’s important that customers understand this before bringing their dog to daycare.

FORCED EXERCISE (long runs beside a bicycle, running on a treadmill) has been speculated to be dangerous for dogs. If a dog isn’t allowed to take a break or is made to keep a certain pace for prolonged periods of time, injury can occur. However, unlike sled dogs or working dogs, we don’t require that dogs move or play if they do not want to. If they chose to nap or lay down, they may do so freely. There is always fresh water available in each playroom, townhouse and suite.

If a participant appears ill or over stimulated, a member of our staff may put your pet in for a time out or nap. However, dogs generally have more sense than humans and know not to get over-stimulated, particularly in the warmer months.

We require that all dogs be spayed by 6 months old or neutered by 12 months old, whether they are coming for interactive doggie daycare or overnight boarding.

It depends. Some dogs that show signs of fear or leash aggression do well in an interactive environment. Since we are a fully interactive doggie daycare, all dogs need to be able to socialize with other dogs and our staff without showing signs of aggression. We require a no-cost temperament evaluation to assess your dog and make sure he will do well in our environment.

While we are happy to give dogs vitamins, antibiotics, and medication for minor medical issues, we cannot give any life-sustaining medication. We cannot accommodate dogs with any life-threatening illness.

All applicants are given a no-cost temperament evaluation. This involves an introduction of your dog to our resident townies. Although this is a good indication of the dog’s personality, dog fights can and do occur, but RARELY result in serious injury. The staff is trained to intervene and separate fighting dogs safely and efficiently. Additionally, we place dogs in playgroups according to size and temperament. However, because they are living creatures, their behaviors are sometimes unpredictable (not unlike humans) and in the rare instance, a fight may take place.

Dogs cannot be discharged after closing time. We understand unexpected delays may occur. Therefore, we are always prepared to accommodate your dog. Just call and let us know. Your dog is welcome to stay overnight. He or she will have bedding, be fed, and allowed to participate in daycare the following day. The boarding and daycare rate will be applied to your balance.

Before enrolling your dog in daycare, you will be required to fill out an application, complete with emergency contacts and your veterinarian’s information. In the unlikely event of an emergency, if you cannot be reached, we will contact whomever you assigned as your emergency contact. Then we will attempt to contact your vet. If all else fails and we cannot reach anyone associated with the dog, we will use our own discretion and either transport your dog to an emergency vet or have our mobile vet come to us to assess the dog at the owners’ expense.

Interactive doggie daycare is an essential part of a dog’s life. At Hounds Town, we place dogs in playgroups with other dogs their own size, temperament, and personality. Instead of allowing dogs to play for only a certain period of time and then putting them in a kennel, dogs at Hounds Town are in their playgroups all day long, allowing them to experience a natural pack as they would in the wild. Fully interactive doggie daycare enables a dog to learn boundaries, to socialize, and to get exercise. Dog boarders participate in interactive doggie daycare throughout their entire stay!

On any given day, we host 40-80+ dogs in our facility. Having customers walking in the back and through the playrooms and kennel area greatly disrupts the energy of the packs. For insurance reasons, we also cannot invite customers in certain areas of the facility, but you are able to get updates on your pup on our social media pages and through the viewing area in the lobby. If you are concerned about how your dog is during their daycare or overnight boarding stay, you are always welcome to call the facility and check-in on your pup.

Yes! Similar to children playing in school, your dog will get dirty, particularly in wet or humid weather. Lighter colored dogs will obviously appear dirtier than the others, but they will all get equally dirty. A dirty dog is a good indication that he or she was active and playing with their pack. While we do wipe down the dogs and give them a little spritz of dry shampoo/pet cologne at the end of their visit, we recommend scheduling a bath at our Hounds Town Day Spa!

We request that all our townies be placed on a flea and tick preventative. Although it is impossible to enforce this, history has shown that our pet owners are very conscientious and maintain a high level of health care for their dogs. In addition, due to our high standards of cleanliness, and the fact that our facilities are over 90% solid surfaces with nowhere for fleas and ticks to live, it’s rare for us to find a flea or a tick on a dog. If we should find one, we notify the owner immediately.

At Hounds Town, we do not breed discriminate. All our dogs are temperament-tested prior to admittance and are thoughtfully grouped thereafter. Your small pup will be grouped with a pack of their own size and personality.

Generally, we do not feed dogs who are attending daycare. Introduction of food in a pack environment can trigger unwanted behavior in even the most placid of dogs. We ask that you place your dog on a twice daily feeding schedule: in the morning before daycare and in the evening after daycare. If you have a younger dog (under 6 months) or a note from your vet, we can feed a mid-day meal when requested. Your dog will be separated from the play group for 90 minutes to eat and digest.

While we don’t have staff staying overnight, we have an established routine for weekends and holidays to ensure the dogs are properly taken care of. Outside of business hours, we make sure to let the dogs out for feeding and playtimes to ensure they have plenty of food and exercise to leave them tired and happy at the end of every day! Our facility is also equipped with security and fire alarm systems for additional safety and peace of mind.

Yes! We offer larger suites for multiple dogs to be boarded together. This can be the more cost-effective option for those dog duo’s or trio’s who can fit comfortably in the space. Our staff is trained to assess your dogs’ temperament and compatibility with each other to ensure they have a safe and comfortable stay.

No. The reason is because, at a veterinarian’s office, there are airborne germs that your dog can come in contact with. Your dog can then come to our facility and transmit these germs to the dogs presently at the facility. We ask that you wait at least 7 days after any vet visit before bringing your dog to our facility. If your dog receives their vaccinations at a mobile vet, they are welcome to come to Hounds Town immediately.