Sleepovers

Sleepovers are an extension of Pals for Pups playcare services. Sleepovers are a slumber party with all of your dogs friends in familiar surroundings, eliminating the separation anxieties and other concerns associated with a traditional kennel setting.

Sleepovers include regular playcare services. Dogs spend the night in an appropriately sized crate for comfort and safety. While dogs are pack animals they also like to have their own special “den”, their own special place with their blanket and toy so they feel comfortable and safe. Please note that all sleepover pups must be spayed or neutered by 7 months.

Crates offer a nice, quiet place for retreat after a long day of play. Rest assured that all of the dogs in our care get special personal attention from our staff. Weekend stays get plenty of playtime each day, so not to worry… they’re still running with the pack.  In addition to required vaccinations and a temperament test, in the best interest of your pup, one day of playcare prior to sleepovers is required

It is a busy time for boarding. Sometimes we have not seen the pup for many months and sometimes even before covid. I thought I would post something that explains why it’s important to do day care before boarding.

If a dog doesn’t do day care with us and only boards, they are more likely to be stressed. We never allow a dog to be stressed, as soon as we see that behavior we assign a staff member to the dog to walk them, love them and give them all the extra attention they need. Like with people, exercise relieves stress and it makes the dog feel like he has someone he can go to that he knows when he needs that extra bit of love or security. This is more expensive for me because when that staff member is giving all their attention to that one dog, they are not interacting with the other pups, which I don’t mind doing once they first come to us. When dogs are stressed they are more likely to get sick making it even more important to keep them happy, content and comfortable in their surroundings.

If dogs are only exposed to large numbers of dogs once or twice a year they are more likely to pick up a bug. Like a child going to school, they can pick up a bug from day care, they go home feel better in a couple of days and are ready to come back. If the dog is boarding, they need to either be picked up or be quarantined from the other pups. When quarantined the cost is double due to the extra cleaning and special care required. This is inconvenient for the customer and or expensive.

The pups are very active in play care, if a dog isn’t used to that activity, their feet and muscles can get sore. We want to be sure the pups are accustomed to that activity level before boarding. Like you, we want to be sure the pups are comfortable with the staff and facility before boarding. They should be excited to be here. As a result they do best when they do day care on a consistent basis before boarding. At the absolute minimum they need to come at least once every 3 months.

Dogs behavior can change over time. For example, if a dog goes to dog parks frequently. At dog parks, they often have to defend themselves. The other dog owners may tell you, just leave them alone, they will work it out. What that means is one dog has to snap at another dog to keep him from being bullied or mounted. That can be dangerous, and does not make a good day care dog. Our day care dogs trust that we will take care of them and we will handle all discipline. We do not want to be left with a dog that has developed this type behavior while you are on vacation and you don’t have anyone to pick them up.

Our boarding dogs are our play care dogs, as a result there is always room for our customers to board with us. When day care numbers go down, boarding numbers go up and vice versa. We always prioritize our current customers. By bringing your dog to day care before boarding, your pup is healthier, less stressed, safer, more convenient in the long run and can be less expensive. I hope this helps.

Both weekday and weekend bookings are available.