The purpose of Little Dog Garden(LDG) is to provide a secure, stimulating, healthy and convenient daycare service to dogs and their owners.
HOURS OF OPERATION & ATTENDANCE:
Monday to Friday, 7am-6:30pm at
Saturday and Sunday 8:30-5:30pm
Will not be open on Saturday or Sunday if there are no reservations made by 7pm the night prior. Advanced reservations are always the best way to secure daycare spots.
Establishing a regular routine is encouraged to help dogs feel settled in the daycare environment and to help staff prepare for each day. Attendance of at least one day/week is required.
Last minute drop-ins are accepted for existing clients only. Calling ahead of time is recommended to ensure there is space available.
Dogs must be picked up no later than 6:30pm. Late pickups will be charged in the form of a tip to the staff member who has waited for you. Tip generously.
Without any notification of being late to pick up, pick up becomes unavailable after 6:45pm, dogs will be boarded and regular overnight fees charged .
All dogs must attend an evaluation session before being accepted. These sessions typically last around 30 mins and allow LDG staff to assess the dog’s suitability for daycare. The new dog will be introduced to some of the different personalities of the LDG pack in a controlled environment. Staff will be looking for signs of excessive nervousness or discomfort with the environment, ability to share and interact with good dog manners, any aggression or guarding issues. Owners will be asked to step outside but to remain nearby while the evaluation takes place. A minimum of two members of staff will conduct the evaluation and both must agree that the dog is a good candidate.
An application form must be completed and submitted prior to arriving for Evaluation.
All dogs must be a small breed that will remain under 30lbs throughout adulthood to attend LDG.
DOG HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
We accept dogs from 8 weeks and/or their first round of shots. There is strong research that suggests that the majority of euthanized adult dogs is due to behavior rather than medical reasons. The critical time for dogs to learn their manners with other dogs and humans are the first few months when they are still fearless – this is when they would normally learn these skills from their mother, and fellow litter mates. Keeping a dog isolated in their first few months is preventing valuable socialization. With the requirement for dogs attending daycare to be vaccinated, and with the disinfecting regime in a daycare environment, the risks for a young pup to become sick is lower than the risk of behavioral issues from isolation. For more detail please Google the AVSAB.org’s Position Statement of Puppy socialization.
For acceptance into LDG…
1. Dogs 6 months and older must be spayed or neutered
2. be up-to-date and have proof of vaccinations for DHLPP, Bordetella, and Rabies
3. free of fleas, and clear of any illness for at least 30 days
DOG BEHAVIOR REQUIREMENTS
Non-aggressive: It is very important that dogs are non-aggressive toward both dogs and humans and owners will be asked to certify that their dog has never harmed or aggressively intimidated another animal or person.
Barking: LDG has both commercial and residential neighbors who we wish to be considerate of. Normal barking behavior is to be expected, but dogs demonstrating excessive, obsessive or uncontrollable barking that cannot be resolved with standard methods will be asked to 1) seek professional training before being allowed to return to daycare, or 2) find alternative daycare options. Important: Due to the especially public location of Little Dog Garden, attempts will be made – within reason – to keep barking to a minimum. It will be at LDG’s discretion whether a dog’s barking is not a good fit for the location.
Recall: In order for the LDG staff to manage the variety of dogs attending daycare, it is important that dog’s are aware of their name and have been taught the importance of responding to it. We request that all owners continually maintain recall as a part of their regular training routine.
DOG BEHAVIOR POLICY
For the well-being of all our charges and for the peace of mind of their owners, LDG has a zero tolerance for any aggressive, intimidating, or high-maintenance behavior. That said, while we are not a training facility, we are prepared to work with dogs that may have minor adjustment or non-aggressive behavioral issues. A dog whose behavior continues to be deemed unacceptable will be asked to make alternative care arrangements for their dog. It will always be the prerogative of LDG to determine which dogs are a good fit for Little Dog Garden. Staff at LDG recognize that ultimately, a dog is an animal, with animal instincts. While rare, we understand that even the most docile and mellowest dog can unpredictably get ticked off enough to show some level of aggression, whether it be barking, snarling, nipping or biting. Any incident at LDG will be documented and assessed by the staff taking into account behavior and environment leading up to the incident, character of the dogs involved and the severity of the incident. Owners will be immediately notified if their dog receives or causes an injury while at LDG. If possible Owners should always have a backup contact so that a dog can be collected immediately if necessary.
ALL VETERINARY BILLS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER. Owners must sign a Hold Harmless waiver before their dog can be accommodated at LDG.