Question 1

What are your business hours?

Accepted Answer

DDL is staffed 24/7 and our lobby is open during the following hours:

Weekdays 7AM - 7:30PM
Weekends 10AM - 5:30PM
​Holiday Hours 10AM - 5:30PM

Our phone line and email are monitored during business hours, while Instagram messages are monitored from 9am-5pm daily.

Question 2

Which vaccinations are required?

Accepted Answer

We require Rabies, DA2PP, Bordetella, K9 Influenza and Leptospirosis. K9 Influenza and Leptospirosis consist of two rounds and require a 7 day wait period. All vaccines must be fully completed and updated for entry.

Question 3

What is the minimum age for daycare and boarding?

Accepted Answer

Dogs must be at least four months old, in good health, free of stitches/staples, have basic obedience, and at least two weeks removed from neuter/spay.  For puppies who are less than 6 months old and intact, please see our Puppy Program (https://www.downdoglodge.com/puppyprogram)page.

Question 4

What is a 'Temperament Test'?

Accepted Answer

The Temperament Test is designed to determine a mutual fit between the testing dog and our open-cage environment. Each Temperament Test has two phases on two separate days, $60 per dog ($30 per phase). To begin Phase One, we ask that the owner stay for the initial introduction, which will usually last about 15-30 minutes. The testing dog is slowly introduced to one dog at a time, with our Supervisor standing by. It is the Supervisor's job to analyze the dog's body language and both verbal and non-verbal queues to determine their level of comfort, joy, fear, or aggression. The Supervisor will continue introducing dogs of different temperaments until they have determined the testing dog's comfort in the environment.
 
Assuming that all goes well in the initial 15-30 minutes, we ask that the testing dog stays in our care for an additional 2-5 hours. This will help solidify any conclusions derived from the first few minutes of the test. Following a pass of Phase One, we require a second day of daycare as Phase Two, which consists of a full day of daycare, roughly 5 hours, to solidify the mutual fit between the dog and our environment.
 
Following the pass of both Phase One and Two, each dog will enter a trial period in which their behavior will be monitored over a series of daycare visits. One full daycare visit after the two phased Temperament Test process is required before boarding, however, we do highly recommend multiple prior visits; in most cases, multiple daycare visits before overnight boarding are very helpful in assimilating the dog into our environment and making them feel as comfortable as possible before staying overnight.

Question 5

What is 'Kennel Cough' and how should it be handled?

Accepted Answer

Kennel Cough is usually a mild, yet highly contagious respiratory infection similar to a human chest cold. KC is common in places of high canine concentration such as daycares, vet offices, dog parks, dog trails, popular dog walks such as The Strand, etc.
 
Kennel Cough is recognizable by a dry, ‘honking’ cough often followed by a hacking noise. KC is airborne and does not require direct contact for transfer. Incubation time is usually around 7-14 days, meaning that a dog can be infected with KC but not show signs for up to two weeks after contracting.
 
While Down Dog Lodge requires updated Bordetella vaccinations for all its guests, unfortunately, the vaccine does not always protect against all strains of the infection: similar to how humans can still catch the flu/COVID even after receiving a vaccine.

Down Dog Lodge takes all illness very seriously; despite strict vaccination requirements and our extensive daily cleaning regiment, Kennel Cough can/will still exist in this type of communal environment like ours.

Should your dog show any signs of Kennel Cough, or any other contagious condition, please refrain from bringing them to DDL until they've received medical attention. If the case is confirmed by your vet, we kindly ask that you inform Down Dog Lodge immediately.
 
As KC is highly contagious, please continue to keep infected dogs out of the facility for at least 7-10 days after antibiotics have been completed and all symptoms have passed.
 
As always, thank you for your patience and understanding. We do all that we can to ensure our clients' safety and well-being and your cooperation in this process is greatly appreciated.

Question 6

Are dogs separated by size?

Accepted Answer

Yes, our smaller dogs hang out in Mini Lodge, while larger dogs are found in the Big Pen. Both areas have indoor and outdoor access so your dog can enjoy spending time inside and out in the sunshine.

Question 7

Do I need a reservation?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we require reservations for all services at least 24 hours in advance.

Question 8

What are your check-in and check-out times?

Accepted Answer

Check-in and check-out times are during our lobby hours. (https://www.downdoglodge.com/facility)Should you need to pick-up outside of lobby hours, please contact us.

Our phone line and email are monitored during business hours, while Instagram messages are monitored from 9am-5pm daily.

Question 9

Can I pick-up or drop-off outside of business hours?

Accepted Answer

We always prefer drop-offs and pick-ups to be within our normal business hours; this ensures the smoothest possible transaction with our Front Desk.

WEEKDAYS: 7am - 7:30pm
WEEKENDS: 10am - 5:30pm
HOLIDAYS: 10am - 5:30pm

However, we understand that certain circumstances may require an early D/O or late P/U. On a case-by-case basis, we're happy to offer these services for an additional cost.

The earliest we can accommodate ANY D/O is 6am.
The latest we can accommodate ANY D/O is 7pm.

The earliest we can accommodate ANY P/U is 6am.
The latest we can accommodate ANY P/U is 12am.

We can not accommodate any early/late pickup/drop offs outside of these hours.
Any early D/O or late P/U needed will incur a flat rate fee of $25/dog/service.

Please give us a call to add a late D/O or P/U option.

Question 10

Do I have to bring dog food?

Accepted Answer

To avoid intestinal issues, we highly recommend that owners bring their own food for their stays. We kindly ask that for longer stays, food is pre-packed into separate baggies for each meal; this massively helps our staff when serving multiple dinners at a time. If you are unable to bring your own food, we do have food available for purchase: $1/cup of dry food, $2/can of wet food. The food offered in-house is Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EN Gastroenteric, which is a highly digestible formula made with high-quality ingredients.

Question 11

Can I bring my own toys, crate, or bedding?

Accepted Answer

Please refrain from bringing any personal items like crates, toys, blankets, bedding, etc. We have plenty of our own to accommodate our guests and cannot guarantee that they would be returned in one piece!

Question 12

My dog requires specific medication and/or feeding instructions. Where can I submit this information?

Accepted Answer

Please complete a medication and/or feeding schedule in the Client Portal,(https://www.downdoglodge.com/client-portal) which is available for existing clients only:

"Account" > "Manage Profiles" > Scroll to the pet profile and select "Edit" on the bottom right > Scroll to "Medication Schedule" and/or "Feeding Schedule" to complete the section > Scroll down to select "Save."

If you're an existing client and have not accessed the Client Portal, please click here t(https://www.downdoglodge.com/client-portal)o reset your password. The system will only recognize the email and phone number DDL has on file.

Please email us if you're having any trouble!

Question 13

How can I see the facility?

Accepted Answer

In addition to our virtual tour (https://www.downdoglodge.com/tour)on our website, stay tuned to our Instagram stories for daily updates! @downdoglodge

Question 14

Where can I watch my dog while I'm away?

Accepted Answer

We post daily videos on our Instagram to keep owners entertained and in the loop! Feel free to follow all of our daily wags: @downdoglodge

Our Instagram messages are monitored from 9am-5pm daily.

Question 15

How can I get updates about my dog?

Accepted Answer

Feel free to give us a call, shoot us an email, or direct message us on social media. We'd be happy to give you an update, or send a video of your pup!

Our phone line and email are monitored during business hours, while Instagram messages are monitored from 9am-5pm daily.

Question 16

Will my dog have access to water?

Accepted Answer

We always have multiple water bowls available in each pen, which are constantly monitored for refills.

Question 17

Will someone be with my dog 24/7?

Accepted Answer

Yes, DDL is staffed around the clock to ensure your pet is always well-attended to.

Question 18

Do the dogs ever fight?

Accepted Answer

Dog fights can be an unfortunate piece to any communal environment like ours. With our Temperament Test process and hands-on employees, fights are rare and often short lived.

Question 19

What if a dog is injured by another dog?

Accepted Answer

When a dog-to-dog injury occurs, the owner of the dog that inflicted the injury is responsible for any medical bills.

Frequently Asked Questions