Got some questions? We've got answers!
What is the difference in facility boarding and 24 hour boarding?
Facility boarding is where your dog is in daycare all day and sleeps at the facility at night. 24 hour boarding is where your dog is in daycare all day and then stays at Destani's house with her at night. We offer this as a luxury service. It was originally offered for our dogs with separation anxiety.
What is doggy daycare?
Doggy daycare is supervised, off leash, all day play. Our employees monitor and encourage play between the dogs. Day camp is a healthy release for high energy dogs, a wonderful socialization method, and great exercise for our canine friends. Barking Mad provides a safe and healthy atmosphere where our puppy pals can play together all day, hang out in the doggy lounge or run and romp in our outside play yard.
What do the dogs do all day in daycare?
Our pups run, romp, wrestle, take naps or watch movies in the doggy lounge. They play with each other and with our employees. Doggy hugs, tummy rubbing, and ear scratching are on the agenda every day. Our employees act as referees to monitor play and make sure each and every dog is having a dog gone good time!
How often does my dog need to come to daycare? Is there a minimum requirement?
There is no minimum requirement for daycare (save at least one day camp visit within the previous month prior to a boarding appointment with us). However, we recommend at least one visit per week for the sake of your dog. For some pups, this environment can be stressful until they get to know their new playmates. If you bring your dog on the same day(s) every week, they will generally have the same playmates. If you sporadically bring your dog, your pup can forget his new friends or will have an entire new group to get used to. This can be stressful for your pooch.
On the other hand, five days a week can often be too much for many dogs, especially if they are not used to socialization and play five days a week, twelve hours a day.
If my dogs are off leash all day, will my dogs get hurt while playing? How do you prevent play from getting out of hand?
Each and every daycare kid fills out a thorough application form and goes through a temperament assessment and an evaluation day with our trained staff. Only dogs that have all the required forms, vaccinations, are healthy and pass the assessment and evaluation day are accepted for daycare. Once accepted, the play groups are constantly supervised and the safety of each and every dog is our #1 priority. Our employees make sure play doesn't get out of hand or too rowdy. However, dogs play with their paws and teeth, so small scratches and nicks can happen. If a serious situation were to occur, the injured pet will be transported to the nearest veterinarian and you will be contacted.
Voice commands, squirts from a water bottle, and redirecting behavior are the most common methods of preventing problems. Time-outs can be used to give an over-energetic pooch time to cool off and calm down. Negative reinforcement is never used at Barking Mad.
How do you keep the facility clean with all the dogs coming in and out?
Barking Mad is cleaned and disinfected thoroughly every night with a cleaner and disinfectant specially formulated for animal care facilities, along with frequent cleaning throughout the day. Any spot cleaning is done with the same cleaner to instantly sanitize the area. Our play yard is also cleaned and disinfected regularly with a Wysiwash, a product originally made for kennels that uses a dog and people friendly chlorinated tablet to keep our play area clean and safe.
How will you keep my dog comfortable while he is staying with you?
Your dog can choose to play inside or outside while playing at Barking Mad. Our indoor play area is climate controlled so it never gets too hot or too cold for your pooch. Lying in our doggy lounge with the air and ceiling fans on is a favorite past-time for a few of our older guests! Our outside play yard provides lots of shade. We frequently get the pools out for our pups to splash around in as well when the weather is warm. (Our boarding guests sleep in the play areas and the temperature is regulated all night).
Does my dog need to be active in daycare to sleep over at Barking Mad?
No. Your dog must pass the assessment and evaluation day to participate in sleepovers at Barking Mad, due to the fact that our boarding guests play all day in daycare. Your pup must play in daycare at least once within the previous month prior to a boarding appointment with us. This helps ensure that your dog is familiar with the environment and the current dogs before you go out of town and helps us to make sure everyone will have fun while in daycare.
CAN MY DOG BE BOARDED AT YOUR FACILITY IF THEY DON'T GET ALONG WITH OTHER DOGS?
Yes, dogs that are not suitable for daycare play are still welcome to stay overnight at Barking Mad, but they will not be able to join group play. Instead, they will be taken out for individual exercise, play time and potty breaks at least 6 times a day. There is no additional cost for these potty/exercise breaks.
What do I need to bring if I will be boarding my dog?
You need to bring your pups regular food and any medications. We encourage you to bring your dogs own bedding or blankets, as the familiar feel and smell will help adapt to his temporary environment. We will provide a large or extra large crate (48" or 54") as his/her room. We also have large runs (10' x 10' and 5’ x 5’) for our EXTRA large guests and multi-dog families. Please bring your pups food in a sealed container. The only items we ask that you do not bring are rawhides or treats made in China.
Can I come back in the play room to interact and play with my dog while he is in daycare?
No, you cannot. First and foremost, this would not be safe for the dogs. Introducing a novel stimulus to the pack (i.e. you) heightens arousal and could cause a fight. When our employees change shifts, we have very specific protocol for how to enter the play room and interact with the dogs. Our employees have gone considerable lengths to get each and every dog comfortable with them and bringing in strangers is unfair to the dogs and could introduce a bite risk. Plus some of our daycare kids are uncomfortable with people they do not know or certain attributes that we have (men vs. women, glasses, or a beard, for example). It is very important to us that this is a safe place where our daycare kids can come to play and relax. In addition, the dogs act very differently when a novel stimulus is introduced than they do most of the day so it wouldn't be a true picture of what goes on. Finally, our insurance would not allow this for liability reasons. We do host open houses quarterly during our slow times for tours. Please contact us for more information.
Why is it so loud when I come to drop off or pick up my dog? Is it always that loud?
The dogs that are already here bark when the door opens (or when someone pulls up, a plane flies overhead, or a loud truck drives by). Some of our daycare kids are very protective of their environment. Others are just excited that a new play mate is here. And still others are upset that our employees are paying attention to someone else (i.e. you) and want to make sure we understand their dissatisfaction. It is not very loud at all during the day. The dogs will occasionally bark while playing but bully barking (barking at another dog to get them to play) or barking for attention is not allowed. However, at pick up and drop off times, the dogs are very excited and make sure to let you know! We apologize for this inconvenience!
Will you feed my dog while he is at daycare?
While we don't recommend feeding mid-day while your dog is playing in daycare, we will if that is your preference and it doesn't give your pup a stomachache. All adult dogs and puppies who receive lunch will be put up for a minimum of 1 hour to prevent bloat/torsion so their food can digest before play resumes.
Can you give medications while they are in daycare?
We can give any medication needed per your instructions. Administering of medications is done FREE of charge.
When can I drop off and pick up my dog?
We are open Monday through Friday 6:30 AM-6:30 PM and are closed on Saturday and Sunday for drop in daycare. Drop off times during the week are between 6:30AM and 10:30 AM and pick up is between 6:30AM and 10:30 AM or after 4:30PM to 6:30PM. If at any time you would like to pick your dog up between 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM we ask that you call a few minutes in advance so we can get your dog ready to go home. Pick ups and drop offs are available over the weekend for boarding guests but only at designated times since Barking Mad is closed for drop in daycare.
What holidays is daycare closed? (We still come in for our boarding guests, of course!)
Easter
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
New Years Day
We may also elect to close on lesser federal holidays if we do not have more than 5 reservations for daycare. If you would like to attend on one of these holidays, make sure to let us know in advance so that we can assess if we have enough kids to be open for play!
What are the requirements to be enrolled at Barking Mad?
Up to date application on file
Temperament evaluation and first "trial" day passed
Must be current on all vaccinations. Rabies and DHLPP - Both one and three year vaccinations accepted. Bordetella is required within the past year
Must be on a flea preventative
Must be at least 3 months old (Puppies must have had at least two of the three DHLPP booster shots and a bordetella)
Dogs must have had no communicable diseases within the last 30 days
Dogs must be friendly, social and healthy
Dogs that are intact and over 8 months of age will be accepted on a case by case basis.
If we have not answered all of your questions or concerns or you would like us to elaborate on any point or policy that we have, please don't hesitate to ask!