Frequently Asked Questions
For daycare, we ask you to arrive between 0700-0900. We do not accept dogs after 0900 as we are all busy with the exercise groups. On arrival, please drop off at the front entrance if it is free. If there is another car already dropping off, please proceed directly to the rear entrance .. watch this video if you are not sure where it is! Under no circumstances should you double park at the front of the house, or in the lane. From the rear entrance, bring your dog on a lead out of the car park, past the cattery building and follow the gravel path to the right. Opposite the boar statue is the rear gate where there will be a number to call – someone will come and collect your dog from you. Normally we take your dog on our lead and you keep your lead to use when you collect at the end of the day.
Unfortunately we cannot currently pick up dogs using dog taxis or doggy buses. If this is something you’re looking for, please make sure you read our blog post about dog taxis and dog buses.
What are your drop off / collection times?
Drop offs are from 0700-0900 on weekdays. For daycare collections Monday – Thursday we are open from 1630-1830. On Friday, the latest collection is 1800. We charge a late fee of £7.50 if you arrive after these times and we do ask you to avoid being late if at all possible.
On Saturdays, boarding dogs can be dropped off between 0830-0900 and collected between 1630 and 1800. On Sundays we are open only between 1630 and 1800. Again late fees apply.
We are happy to feed your dog for you. We just ask that you bring food in a sealed container, clearly labelled with your dog’s name and whether it is breakfast, lunch or tea. If the food requires refrigeration or freezing, please make this clear at handover. All dogs are fed separately and will have access only to the food provided by the owner. Due to the fact that most dogs that visit us are fed on something different, food is not included.
No. We split dogs into groups based on their energy levels, temperament size and play ethic. Each of the groups get to spend time in the different exercise areas.
No. The dogs have indoor facilities of the highest standard for rest and feeding time in between walks and play sessions. The rooms are heated in the colder months. We have excellent natural ventilation and we keep them cool with fans if necessary in hotter months. If for any reason a dog is unable to mix with the other guests, he/she can be provided with their own space.
With your consent, dogs are given free play in one of our three exercise fields or walked on lead in our fifteen acres of woodland and fields.
We select only dogs that are well socialised and will fit into one of our existing groups. There are some breeds that we do not accept, not because there is anything wrong with the breed, but because we have found them difficult to integrate due to either their genetic breed traits, their size or temperament or energy levels. Please see our article about why we feel a selective breed policy is important. We sometimes find that owners are offended to find that we cannot accept their dog – we do not mean to cause any offence to anyone but our years of experience have shown us what works well for us. We are not interested in just numbers and maximising income .. we genuinely want to provide the safest, most fun environment that we can and this means that we have to exclude some breeds. Most of the dogs that come to us are small breeds plus cockapoos/cavapoos, spaniels, Labrador/retrievers, goldendoodles/labradoodles. Feel free to call and discuss your dog, but please don’t be offended if we are unable to help.
Follow the link here. When you first register we need you to sign our terms and conditions as these include some consents that we are required to obtain from you by law. We will also need you to send us a scanned copy of your dog’s vaccinations which must also include kennel cough. Many vets do not give the kennel cough vaccination unless you request it. Often owners assume that their dog has been given KC and then discover they have not, which delays their start date with us. So please check your vaccination card or call your vet to ask!
We only offer our home boarding service to our regular daycare customers. This means that your dog must come for daycare at least once per week in order to access the boarding spaces. The reason for this is that we need all overnight guests to be settled and not whine or bark in the night and we find this is often possible only when they are comfortable and secure in their surroundings. We also only have a very small number of boarding places available so we reserve these for our daycare customers.
We provide everything that your dog needs including comfortable bedding. You are welcome to bring enrichment toys or chews/treats (not rawhide chews though) plus outdoor jackets for use in wet weather. You must however arrive with your dog on a lead. Please do not allow your dog out of your car unless he or she is on a lead and wearing a well fitting collar that will not easily slip off. If preferred, a correctly fitting harness is fine too.
In the unlikely event that your dog requires veterinary treatment, we will contact you or your emergency contact to discuss the best course of action. Please ensure you maintain your contact details on our online system so that they are accurate. If we are unable to contact you and we need to take your dog to the vet, we will use your vet if it is within reasonable travelling distance. Practically, this means it must be in Chalfont St Giles/St Peter, Gerrards Cross or Beaconsfield. If your vet is further afield, then we will use our preferred vet, which is Wheelhouse Veterinary Centre in Chalfont St Giles (although appointments may be offered in Amersham, Chesham or Beaconsfield as well). By signing our terms and conditions you will be consenting to this policy. Any health event or accident that happens on our premises is recorded and you will be kept informed. We are also all K9 First Aid trained and are competent in dealing with minor ailments.
Dogs who present with conjunctivitis or tummy upsets will be isolated and we will call you to come and collect them as soon as possible. If you notice your dog is unwell, please do not bring them to daycare as we will be unable to accept them until they are recovered.
Please refer to the terms and conditions as our policy may change from time to time. For daycare, we require 24 hours notice of cancellation. There are no exceptions.
Our boarding places must be paid for in full at the time of booking. If you need to cancel at any time we give you a refund if we are able to replace your booking with another. This means you may receive a full or a partial refund, or no refund at all if you cancel at the last minute and we are unable to secure another booking.
It is not a good idea to send your dog to daycare or boarding with us if they have never spent time apart from you. It will make the experience, especially if they are a nervous type, far more stressful. We recommend that you get your dog used to being apart from you before they come to us, so that they are much more likely to get into the swing of doggy daycare in a stress-free way!
