Everything You Need to Know About Joining the Pack

〰️

Everything You Need to Know About Joining the Pack 〰️

GENERAL FAQs

Paws N Pals only employs safety-minded individuals who truly care about animals as if they were their own. We will always advocate for your dog and let you know if we see something concerning or if your dog does not seem to be enjoying their time. They are the number one priority. Your dogs are also never left unattended during open play.
In the event of an emergency with your pet, we will first follow your instructions and then decide whether a visit to an emergency vet is needed. Management is on call around-the-clock in case of an emergency. We also have procedures in place in case of natural disasters or accidental emergencies.
We accept all breeds of dogs as long as they pass our behavior assessment screening. We don’t discriminate (dogs or clients). If you’re looking for social daycare and boarding, our temperament test has an unbiased, step-by-step process that allows us to see if your dog will be able to safely fit in our off-leash play areas. We ask that all pets be non-aggressive towards people. Hard-to-handle pets are subject to additional handling fees or termination of services.
Minimum age for puppies is approximately 16 weeks or after all three rounds of puppy shots and the rabies shot are completed.
We do not accept dogs over the age of 13 unless we can do a trial assessment of their experience in our care and their health condition.
Sorry, but we are not able to accept dogs with diabetes, critical, life threatening ailments or any conditions that may be contagious.
Yes. To ensure your spot on our roster and to prevent delays, you can make daycare/boarding reservations three ways: Directly through the Gingr App, call our office staff at (253) 478-7278, or email us at info@pawsnpalsdoggydaycare.com
We can accommodate a request up to a year in advance as well as set up reccurring appointments for future reservations.
Only for our daycare and social boarding pups. Non-social boarding and grooming pups do not have to undergo this process.
For social daycare and social boarding, we require all dogs to be vaccinated for: Bordetella, DHPP and Rabies. We also require a Fecal Test that has been done within the last 6 months that is negative for Giardia and Ova parasites. Once we receive the records, we would need to schedule your pup(s) for a temperament evaluation. Once they pass that they are welcome to come in for social boarding or daycare. All pups 6 months of age and older are also required to be spayed or neutered.
Non-social boarding requirements are vaccine records for: Bordetella, DHPP, and Rabies. No fecal test or temperament test is required. However, if you are planning a long boarding stay, we do recommend doing a trial night to ensure they feel safe and comfortable with the staff, so they are successful for their longer stay.
Please note that non-social does not mean aggressive. All staff members must be able to touch and handle your pet. If we cannot all handle them, we do reserve the right to terminate services due to your pet’s safety and safety of the staff.
Visit the requirements page on our website for more information.
Through our partnership with Canine Lab Testing, we are able to manage fecal testing directly at Paws N Pals - no need to coordinate through your vet unless you prefer to do so.
Simply provide a sample at drop-off or allow our team to collect one during your dog’s visit. For $70 the sample is submitted to Antech, a nationally recognized veterinary testing laboratory used by many local veterinarians. Results are typically available next morning. We recommend you share results with your veterinarian who can determine if any further action is needed.
It is not required, but it is highly recommended. It is always best to keep your pet on their normal daily diet, however, we can accommodate practically any feeding needs and schedules (wet, dry, raw food diets).
If you forget their food or wish to not provide their food we will use our “house food” (Kirkland brand Lamb and Rice) for an additional fee per feeding.
Item descriTreats and bones for social canines are always welcome during our nap time while they are on the sleeping porch. Non-social guests can have unrestricted access to their personal belongings while they are in their Suites. We only allow toys that are indestructible for safety purposes.
Please note that in the hustle and bustle of daily boarding life there is always a chance that these items can be destroyed or lost. Do not bring anything that you are attached to in case this does happen.tionr
Yes, we can administer pills, powders, ointments, eye drops and ear drops for a small fee. Please bring the medicine in its original container from your pet's vet. Sorry, but we are not able to accept dogs with diabetes, critical, life threatening ailments or any conditions that may be contagious.
If you are looking to have your dog in daycare, yes. We require all dogs to be spayed or neutered by 6 months, regardless of their time of enrollment. If you are boarding without social canine interactions, your pet can be unaltered, as they will not be exposed to other animals while in our care.
All daycare packages are non-refundable. What is left of your package will either be absorbed by the business or used for another pet’s medical bills in the case of a serious health event.
Our facility is designed to give your pet the most exercise possible. Monday through Friday they will participate in our off-leash play from approximately 6:00 AM until 7:00 PM, then on Saturday and Sunday your pets will receive 6 hours of off-leash play each day as well.

BOARDING FAQs

Boarding your dog is a great option to ensure that your pet receives quality, specialized care when you are not able to provide it. Boarding allows you to feel good about your trip without having to worry about your dog being unhappy, bored and alone. At Paws N Pals, every pet is treated like our own and we love seeing the smiling faces of the pets and their owners upon each return visit.
Your dog will adjust quickly to our facility, our staff and routines. Feeding, cleaning, exercise, and staff monitoring are all scheduled events that bring order and structure to the off-leash boarding experience. You can do a lot to help prepare your pet for this environment in the days before your pet is to be boarded. First, establish a routine schedule of meal times and limit feeding to a maximum of twice daily. We will feed either in the morning or afternoon or both based upon your request. Also, we routinely quiet the facility down after closing hours (after 7 PM) to give the pets adequate rest and comfort. It’s best if your evening schedule, in the week before boarding, is stable and consistent, and getting the pet(s) into a comfortable “wind down” to their day by 8 PM to 9 PM will enable them to adjust quickly to the kennel, once boarded.
Boarding does not have a formal time limit, although it is suggested that any pet not be boarded over 90 days to prevent any long-lasting affects to the pets’ behavior. A long-term boarder is required to pre-pay. There is no discount for long term boarding.
Dogs will frequently become very thirsty from the excitement and stress of seeing their family and loved ones when they’re picked up. It’s natural and you should expect your pet to be a bit dehydrated from all the excitement at our facility. While in our care, dogs are monitored carefully for their consumption of fresh water, which is continuously checked and refreshed throughout the day. And, just like the excitement of coming home, when they first are checked-in and settled in their kennel, they will tend to become very thirsty. We watch this carefully and are sure to provide plenty of fresh water upon check-in to get the pet fully hydrated. After the first 30 minutes or so, they settle into the new routine, get comfortable, and establish regular eating and drinking habits.
It is natural for a dog to lose weight while being boarded. Most of the weight loss is due to excitement of being with other guests or the exercise they receive being part of our off-leash boarding. Dogs that participate in social boarding get constant activity which is not the norm to their more sedentary lifestyle at home. Therefore, they burn more calories during their boarding visit. In addition, some pets are just too anxious to eat their food at each feeding and may also lose a pound or two for this reason.

GROOMING FAQs

All groom clients must provide current vaccine records for Bordetella, DHPP, and Rabies.
*It is the pet parents responsibility to stay up to date on their pets vaccines and we will turn you away at the time of your appointment if you cannot provide proof of current vaccine records.
Puppies should be introduced to professional grooming as early as 8 weeks of age and scheduled for a follow up visit every 4-12 weeks depending on individual needs. This will gradually let your puppy get acquainted with the sights, sounds, smells and procedures in a much calmer, stress-free manner.
Frequency of grooming can depend on breed, coat type/length, lifestyle and how much brushing and detangling you do at home between grooming appointments. If your dog has a longer hair style or a coat that tends to get tangled he/she should be professionally groomed every 4 weeks with dematting as needed to preserve coat integrity. A dog with a short hair style or short coat can be groomed every 8-12 weeks as needed, with no adverse effect on the skin and coat.
A typical grooming procedure takes about 3 hours. Additional time may be needed for larger dogs or dogs with thick or matted fur. We may also take more time if your pet is harder to handle in the wet room or requires extra handling for grooming.
Our professional stylist will not tranquilize a pet to groom it. We are well trained to handle a nervous pet and treat every pet with tender loving care. If a pet is too agitated to be safely bathed or groomed, we will not attempt to force the service upon the pet. We advise owners who have dogs with intense sensitivities be groomed at a veterinary office where they can be safely sedated and handled.
No! In fact, we have a policy against the use of these devices. Our stylists are trained to hand-dry pets after they have been bathed. The process involves brushing out the coat to remove shedding hair, while blowing it dry with our professional drying equipment, that is larger than a hair dryer you might use at home. When the pet’s coat is almost completely dry, he/she is put into a holding compartment to rest. A high volume of room temperature air is circulated through the compartment and exited outside by a controlled exhaust system which allows for constant exchange of fresh air. We NEVER add heat to the circulating air.
No. All grooming pets are handled individually and do not have contact with any other animals during the grooming process. Off-leash clients will have a chance to play prior to their groom, but do not come into contact with other pets once the process is started.
No, shaving pets that have double coats or short coats can cause damage. This practice is well known to alter the ability to regrow healthy hair. Case-by-case situations may be reviewed, especially for the health of the pet, but we do not advocate or endorse shaving double or short coats.
Yes! Grooming is a year-round process. Some people prefer to let their dog’s fur be longer during the winter months. Contrary to popular belief, longer fur generally does not insulate your pet better due to the mats and tangles that do not allow proper airflow through the coat, leading to health problems. Short haired breeds also need attention in the cooler months as your pet’s skin can become dry and flaky due to a lack of humidity in the colder air. Regular shampooing, conditioning and brushing can help stimulate the natural oils to ease the dryness.
Your dog’s coat protects his skin from the elements, insulating them from both heat and cold. Making sure that the dog’s coat is thoroughly brushed out and all undercoat is removed so that the air can circulate through the coat will keep him/her cooler. The top coat of hair generally has a glossy shine that helps reflect heat during the hottest months. When this top coat is removed, the dull coat underneath has more opportunities to grab and store heat, making your pet hotter during the summer months. Care should be taken with all coats, in all weathers, to ensure the critical thermoregulation that happens under the coat.
While de-shedding can be applied on any coat, Shed-less treatments are formulated for “shedding” breeds such as Labs, Goldens, Shepherds, Huskies, Border Collies, Pugs, Shelties, Beagles, Dachshunds, Boxers, Malamutes, etc. These heavy shedding breeds experience the most relief from this style of treatment.
Shedding can be reduced by 60% to 80% after 1 to 2 applications of a shed-less treatment. No treatment will completely eliminate shedding. A de-shedding treatment consists of a specially formulated de-shedding shampoo followed by the application of a de-shedding conditioner. A special tool is then used to remove the undercoat and loose hair. Our professional blow drying equipment will also pull out loose undercoats.
At Paws N Pals Salon we use Frontline® Plus flea treatment that offers residual protection up to 30 days but does NOT prevent reinfestation. Proper flea control must also include treatment of the environment as well as the pet. This may include your home, yard, vehicle and your dog’s bedding. No topical flea control product can penetrate fleas while they are in the pupae stage. You will need to treat these areas at weekly intervals to kill the newly hatched fleas and break the life cycle in your yard or residence. It can take 3 to 4 treatments to completely rid the environment of fleas as per the flea life cycle. For chronic reinfestation at home, please consult your vet for a range of long-acting products that may be safe for your pet.