The Dog Zone FAQs

Yes, on Labor Day 2021 we moved to 12 International Way. It's only 3 minutes from our old location. Our old building was sold, and the new owner wants the whole facility not just half. The dogs are very happy with our new facility.

We don't need reservations for daycare, self-wash, or nail trims. We need a reservation for training and for the baths that you want us to do. We would like reservations for boarding, but can usually accommodate walk-ins. However, we can't always accommodate. Boarding is usually full on major holidays and frequently on summer weekends. Please plan accordingly.

We're only open from 9 to 10 am and 6 to 7 pm. We don't do daycare or baths on these days. You can do a self-wash if you can squeeze into either of those one-hour periods. Basically we're here for boarding dogs to be picked up or dropped off.

Current vaccinations are required. Every new dog starts by itself so that it can soak up the sights, smells & sounds before we integrate it with the other dogs in the play yard. After your dog shows us signs that it's getting comfortable with its new surroundings, then we'll ease it into the mix of dogs. We carefully monitor the first few minutes to make sure everything goes smoothly. Some dogs are ready in 5 minutes, and some aren't ready after 5 hours. We'll let you know if we have any concerns.

For Boarding: You can bring your dog in beforehand at no charge or we'll do the eval after you check in for your dog's stay.

For Daycare:  Your first day is free.  Please give us at least two hours, but you can give all day too.  With all of the dogs and all of the playing, the first day can be overwhelming. Your dog will probably crash when you get home.

This is like recess at elementary school. You just can't send the kids out and hope. Our staff is with the dogs at all times. They monitor playtime, watch for inappropriate behavior, play with the dogs, pet & cuddle them, help the new dogs get used to the routine, fill the water buckets, and clean up the messes. All of our staff have training in dog and pack behavior.

Your dog will romp, play, wrestle, chase toys, splash in the pool during the summer, and maybe take a nap, but not likely. When the weather is nice, the dogs take advantage of our 8,000 sq. ft. of outside exercise area. When it's too cold or rainy, we move the dogs to the 700 sq. ft. of play area that we have indoors.

No. Our trained staff continually evaluates each dog's suitability.  Dogs can play hard, but can't be too aggressive.  Dogs will make noise, but can't be constant barkers.  Most of all, our staff has to be able to handle your dog safely. We have time-outs for dogs that need to chill.

For Boarding we can take dogs that can't be with others. They get the same amount of outside time, but in their own private space.

We have a separate area so that small dogs can play comfortably and safely with each other.  Some small dogs play better in the big yard with the big dogs.  Some big dogs might fit better in the small yard, because they're timid or less active.  Whether your dog is big or small in size or attitude, we conscientiously look for the right playmates.

Daycare is wonderful for shy dogs. We have to be patient, but shy dogs just get more and more self-confidence every day that they're here. It's great to see the change in them!

This is totally up to you, your schedule, and your budget. Some dogs are here nearly every day. Others come on the same day every week.  Daycare is a wonderful experience! Daycare builds self-confidence, and it burns excess energy. It creates happier, healthier dogs, and makes them more enjoyable members of your family.

No. All our kennels are inside of our heated and air-conditioned building.

No. We don't use crates. All of our kennels are chain link or a similar wire structure. They're all 6' tall. Length & width will vary according to size of your dog.

Yes. We'll allocate a big enough kennel to accommodate your dogs. However, this isn't always a good idea. A good example is a puppy and an older dog. The older dog might not want to be pestered all night by the puppy. Maybe their kennels should be side-by-side. Another example might be two dogs that can't eat together. We can kennel them together, and just separate them for feeding, or maybe their kennels should be side-by-side.

No. We've been doing this for over 20 years, and this hasn't been an issue. We have an alarm system. The dogs are tucked into their secure kennels. We have nothing for someone to do here overnight. If they were with the dogs, the dogs wouldn't be sleeping. If they were doing chores, they'd disrupt the dogs. Besides we'd have to raise our prices to pay for this person.

We check for fleas. If we find fleas on any dog, your dog must have a flea bath before it can be with the other dogs or in the kennels. You may use our self-wash or ask us to bathe your dog. In either case you will be charged the appropriate fee. We recommend that all dogs be treated for fleas year-round.  It never gets cold enough here to eliminate the fleas completely.

We train using praise & treats. Our training classes are on Monday & Tuesday nights. Classes are limited to 10 dogs, but there are no limits to how many people can attend. We want the whole family. If everyone is saying and doing the same thing, it's easier for your dog to learn.

Training classes vs. private training vs. board & train

We do all three, but we strongly advocate training classes. We believe that we're training the people more than we're training the dog. We have to give you the skill set so that your dog will listen to you any time that you need it to. If your dog listens to our trainer but not you, who cares? We also believe that a dog needs to learn with distractions. The world is one big, continuous distraction. If your dog can't listen because of distractions, then your dog isn't fully trained.

Private training doesn't have the distractions that a class setting has.

Board & train doesn't teach you nearly as well as having you involved in the entire process so we prefer to have your dog in the classes.