FAQ

Monday through Friday you can check in between 7 am and 530 pm; we close at 6 pm and will need to go over feeding instructions, medications, and additional services. Saturday check-in is between 8 am and 230pm, we close at 3. If you and your pet arrive earlier in the day, they may be in a holding area until their requested enclosure is ready.

On the day of check out, your pet may stay in their boarding enclosure until 1pm, after which a full nights boarding charge will apply unless they are scheduled for a bath or haircut.

We are closed on Sundays but allow a 3-5pm courtesy window for pickups, except on holiday weekends. A full days boarding charge still applies.

There is no appointment necessary to tour our facility, you are welcome any time during reception hours Mon-Fri 7-6, and Sat 8-3.

We recommend checking availability before booking your vacation. We do not require a deposit and currently have no cancellation fee. As soon as you know the dates for your trip, make your reservation. For major holidays, spring break, and summer, we recommend 2 -3 months in advance.

We offer Science Diet Sensitive Skin and Stomach. There is no additional charge whether you use our food or bring your own. If you are bringing food from home, we ask that it is pre-portioned per each meal for each pet. We have plenty of bowls, so there is no need to bring those. For safety reasons, we ask that you keep any glass or ceramic bowls and containers at home.

There is no additional charge for medications from home administered throughout your pet’s stay. Medications need to be labeled and hours of administration discussed at check-in. We are not a medical or post-surgical facility. We recommend pets requiring this kind of care be boarded with your vet or have in-home care.

We recommend checking availability before booking your vacation. We do not require a deposit and currently have no cancellation fee. As soon as you know the dates for your trip, make your reservation. For major holidays, spring break, and summer, we recommend 2 -3 months in advance.

We have raised pet cots, or orthopedic beds for our dog guests as well as blankets and towels. For our kitty guests, we have smaller blankets for them to cuddle up on. Any bedding you bring from home must be able to fit in a standard-size washer and dryer, and beds must have removable covers. We do not leave our playtime toys in the runs with the guests. They do not need more than just a couple of their toys for their stay.

We inspect each boarding pet at check-in for fleas. In the event we find any, we will call you as soon as we find them. We will administer Capstar at an additional cost, and dogs will be scheduled for a flea and tick bath. Bath prices vary by breed, flea and tick shampoo is an additional $15.

Let us know at check-in if you suspect your pet might not eat well. We have broth, canned chicken, canned food, cheese, or rice to add in the event they need to be enticed to eat. You can approve any or all options or let us know if we need to strictly adhere to their diet from home. We will call you to see what you recommend we try. Sometimes changing the bowls, we are using to a different style, or even sitting with them for a meal is helpful.

Even though we do all we all we can to mitigate stress, some pets still find boarding stressful, which can result in diarrhea. After two documented episodes of diarrhea, we will give you a call and discuss administering Endosorb. It is an over-the-counter anti-diarrheal that we administer every 4 hours. In the event we cannot reach you, we will start the Endosorb. If Endosorb does not resolve diarrhea after two days, or if we see any blood in their stool, we will recommend a vet visit at Hill Country Animal Hospital. In the event of 3 or more episodes of vomiting, we will recommend a vet visit.

For dogs we require Rabies, Parvo-Distemper, Bordetella, and Canine Influenza. For cats, we require Rabies and FVRCP (Feline Distemper). We do not accept vaccine waivers. We also do not accept sticker books, at-home vaccinations, or pet passports. All vaccinations must come from a licensed veterinarian. If your pet cannot receive vaccines for health reasons, we believe they are better served by veterinary boarding or in-home care. If your dog is eligible for pack play with our Playcare department, we also require a negative fecal test.

12 weeks with appropriate vaccinations: at least 2 rounds of the DHPP, Bordetella, and Canine Influenza.  

We have a full boarding staff from 7am-10pm. The reception staff is here from 7am-6pm Mon-Fri, and Sat 8-3. We do have an overnight staff member here every night from 10pm-7am.

We offer 4 potty/exercise breaks for our canine pet guests daily. We walk them at 7am, 12pm, 430 pm, and 9 pm.

There is a one-time additional fee per pet on Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

To board in our facility, your pet does not have to be spayed or neutered. Boarding dogs and cats do not come in contact with other boarders. Female dogs in heat must board in our luxury suites. We do not board pregnant dogs. Dogs participating in Playcare must be spayed or neutered if they are over 6 months of age.

We have a limit of 43 dogs per day and reservations will secure a spot for your dog. Please reserve your dog’s spot with our reception team.  If you arrive without a reservation, and PlayCare is fully booked, we may be able to board your dog for the day.  

Big dog days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Small dog days are Tuesday and Thursday. The rule of thumb is 30 lbs. and under is a small dog. Depending on play style, some small dogs may do better on big dog day, and some bigger dogs do better on a small dog day.

Half-day hours are between 7:00AM to noon. Half-day dogs not picked up by noon will be moved to a cabana so we don’t have to disturb dogs that are resting. If you are running late, please call and let us know.

Drop off is between 7:00-10:00am. For newer dogs, it’s best to bring them as early as you can. It is easier for them to acclimate with the pack when there are fewer dogs present; new dogs may also be better off starting with half days. We close at 6:00pm.

You are more than welcome to leave your leash after you drop off if you’d like. This is helpful if someone else is picking up. There are hooks along the banister in the PlayCare room. You may want to mark your leash, as many look similar.

Each situation is unique, and we may find dogs from the same family do better if coming on separate days. We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis and keep you posted.

We separate packs based on age, play style, and their energy level.  Hyper puppies, calm older dogs, and the rougher pups all are in separate packs. We constantly manage how they play and do not allow pinning, body slamming, etc.

 If your dog gets a time-out, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Brief time-outs are used to give the dog a break and calm down a bit. Our goal is to provide a safe and active environment for all.

Our new webcams are accessed through the “AVY mobile CVMS” app. The QR code is: n95c2022s37d. User: user. Password: user. There are two cameras – one inside, and one outside.

We have the dogs outside as much as possible, however when it is too hot, too cold, or too rainy, we spend some time inside. In the playcare room, they still have access through doggie doors to potty yards, and we separate into packs just as we do in the yards.

Our goal is lots of play and exercise. That means they may not go home perfectly clean. We try to keep them from getting too dirty but if you would like to schedule a bath please see reception to schedule.

Some dogs may wear a leash in playcare. It is intended to help us manage a dog safely and with as little stress on the dog as possible. Some like to play keep away from the staff and this helps us catch them when needed. In most cases, we will be able to eliminate the leash after regular visits.

Lunch for the dogs is at 11:00am. You are more than welcome to bring lunch for your dog in a Ziploc bag or small container. Please label your dog’s food container. We recommend all puppies to be provided a lunch. We have the ability to refrigerate food as well (just let us know!)

Naptime is from 12:00-2:00pm. All dogs spend naptime in crates, x-pens, or in one of the boarding units. Normally, all dogs are able to spend naptime in the PlayCare room after they get used to the routine.

You get one report card per week, per family.  In the report cards, we let you know how your dog interacted with others, who they played with, and other pertinent information about their day.

The nature of off-leash and group play means that minor nicks, cuts, scrapes, and even bites may occur. Our staff is trained to do all they can to prevent injuries but we can’t guarantee accidents won’t happen so in most cases, owners must be responsible for medical costs associated with Playcare. We will perform minor first aid, and in the event of a more serious problem, we will notify you and if required, get medical assistance. If you have any other questions, please contact us at 210-695-1166.