FAQs:
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Your profile is the way you and Dogs Day Out keep track of your pet. Absolutely everything is done on your profile, so you always have a way to refer back to everything (e.g. invoices, reservations, payments, active packages, etc.). It is also used to keep all contact details up to date. Your profile (Gingr) will send you reminders about your pet’s vaccinations, bookings, and other required information, which makes your life easier as you don’t need to remember it yourself. The Agreements are compulsory Liability forms that need to be signed before your pet can come and visit us. These forms have some vital information for you about Dogs Day Out and the doggies we have here.

Your profile is the only way we can get all the info we need about you and your pets. It is the easiest way for us to keep track of your contact details. It is also vital to keep your pet’s profile updated with their current feeding requirements, vaccinations and deworming info as the system sends out reminders when they are due to be renewed. And don’t forget to update your pet’s profile picture regularly! Use a picture that clearly shows all special identifying (and cute) marks.

December is a hectic time and many people decide to go on long holidays. It is already stressful for the doggies to be away from their parents that long - so we make sure that we only have dogs boarding that know us well and all the other doggies too. This fosters a calm atmosphere and ensures there are no stressed out "new" dogs with them. This way, it feels more like a long play date than time away from mom or dad!

You are welcome to contact us via Whatsapp or email for packages to be loaded. You can also come and ask for a package in–store. Payments can be made via Cash, Card, EFT or SnapScan during the check-in and check-out process.

All packages are only valid for 30 days from first use. This means that any days not used on the package after 30 days expire and fall away. We do not refund these days or carry them over. It is the owner’s responsibility to keep an eye on the package’s expiry dates (found on the Owner’s profile) to ensure all days are used before they expire.

A doggy’s first day here can be quite stressful due to the new environment. We cannot explain to your doggy that they are here to play and that this is not a vet. They must discover that this is a fun place for themselves, but this means that they are stressed for the first little while. Therefore, we prefer that your doggy comes for a half day, and then goes home. This tells them 2 things relatively quickly:

This makes the next daycare day easier for them and they will already be more relaxed - and sometimes even excited - which is our goal.

We prefer a “drop-and-go” scenario. You arrive, you hand your doggy over to us in your happiest voice and IMMEDIATELY turn around and drive away. Do not linger, do not fawn over your doggy, do not continuously talk to them as we walk them into the building and do not wait for them to go inside before you drive away. Drop them off and drive away. We do it in this fashion because it reduces the amount of stress on your dog. A lot of owners are nervous about “leaving their dog behind” and that transfers to the doggy which makes them nervous as well.  Dogs can develop separation anxiety because their owners do not make a clean cut exit. Many linger, cuddle, and talk to their dogs continuously and are then confused when their dog struggles to leave. Dogs are very bonded to their owners and will generally choose to stay by their owners’ side. Do your dog a favour and make it easier for them – hand over and drive away. We will send you feedback as soon as possible (can sometimes take up to 2 hours) to show how they are coping with their first day.

All doggies must wear a collar with a nametag and be on a lead when they arrive at and leave the building. Harnesses are welcome if your doggy is used to wearing one. Only bring lunch along if your doggy eats 3 meals a day at home (i.e. puppies and old/frail doggies). Please do not bring lunch if your doggy normally eats twice a day or does not have a specific lunchtime. We provide all feeding bowls required, so only slow feeders are allowed from home.  No toys from home will be given to your doggy as it will cause problems in playpens. We provide balls and ropes (and humans) that they play with. Jackets are allowed if it is cold, and we will remove it if we see your doggy is getting hot, or if it becomes a hindrance for your doggy (but please note that this is at your own risk as these can sometimes be ruined with play).

Is your doggy under 1 yr old? Is your doggy older than 8yrs or frail and sickly? If either of those questions is a “yes” AND you would normally put out a bowl of food for your doggy at lunchtime, then you need to pack lunch for him/her. 

Other than the normal collar & lead from daycare, you must please send enough food for your doggy’s stay, either pre-portioned out, or with a measuring device/instructions to ensure your doggy is fed correctly. Any medication your doggy is on should also be brought along with exact instructions on how/when to give it. You are welcome to bring along a bed/blanket from home that will be given to your doggy at night (please note this is at your own risk) to let them have something special from home. Please note that Doggy Dorms will not accept any personal toys or long-lasting chews (like hooves or bones) as this causes problems amongst the dogs. Doggies boarding in Regal Rooms will be given their toys and chews as they are staying in their own private room, with no other friends to take their things. Please remember to mark any Tupperware containers or food bags with your dog’s name if you would like to have it returned to you.

There are hundreds of types and brands of food on the market, not including all the different types of diets and specialty foods that dogs can eat. Diet choice is the owner’s right and privilege, and we will not interfere with this. Dogs cannot suddenly change their diets; it has to be done gradually or you risk severe stomach problems - the least of which is a runny stomach. In order to keep the doggies in our care as healthy as possible, it is better that they stay on their diets at all times and are fed the same food here as they would normally get at home. We do not want doggies feeling unwell due to a diet change.

Dogs Day Out is essentially closed on a Sunday. We expect our staff to give their all at work, so we also want to give them their time to catch their breath. The only people at Dogs Day Out over a weekend is the ones that are on duty and staying over to watch the doggies that are staying overnight. This usually consists of just enough staff to safely watch over the doggies and their playpens. There are no extra hands onsite over weekends. Our policy is to never leave a dog unattended. This means, that if the shop needs to be opened for any reason, like pick up and drop off, there needs to be additional staff members onsite. To accommodate our staff, and our clients, we have a single time slot on a Sunday and Public Holidays for front-of-house activities. This is because we do not want our staff to travel multiple times a day. This means that you cannot pay us for a later pick up as there is no-one onsite to handle the hand-over, as the handler must leave the dogs unattended to hand over your doggy, which is not acceptable. 

As much as we try to make grooming and spa – days relaxing and fun for your doggy, the reality is that most dogs do not like grooming in any shape or form. Most doggies get stressed by the grooming and is a little fearful of it. Our goal here at Dogs Day Out, is for your doggy to love it here so much, they jump out of your car and run inside! Therefore, we prefer to wait until your doggy reaches their ultimate relaxed selves before we expose them to anything stressful, including grooming.

We pride ourselves in providing owners photo and video evidence of a happy doggy. We always try our best to send at least 1 photo or video per visit to let you know that your pet is a happy pet. There is, however, the odd occasion where this is not possible, e.g. your doggy is moving so fast – all we get is blurry photos. Or your doggy is having a lazy day and spending all his/her time suntanning. In these cases, a photo or video is either not possible, or it could the 100th suntanning photo of your doggy. There will be the odd occasion that you do not receive a photo or video of your doggy on that visit, but on the next visit your doggy might be doing something crazy or cute and we send you a ton of photos and videos again. It is your doggy’s goal to have fun in whichever way they please, even if that means not being photogenic 100% of the time.

Daycare mornings start at 06h30, with doggies arriving until 09h30. They get the opportunity to play indoors & outdoors all morning, which includes time spent on the outside beach area until 11h00. From 11h40 – 13h30 is lunch time for those who get lunch (puppies and old/frail dogs). From 13h30 to 15h30 is sleep time, where all the doggies sleep and have relaxed play. From 15h30 – 18h00 the doggies get another chance to run and play and burn the last of their energy with time spent outside in the beach sand. This also the time that they start to go home, ensuring we can hand over a happy, tired doggy.

Late fees are applicable for doggies being picked up after 18h00. This is due to Dogs Day Out closing at 18h00. If we have doggies that are being picked up later, we need to pay our staff overtime, as well as have them make alternative travel arrangements when they cannot catch their lifts or taxi’s. This all adds up to unnecessary inconvenience and expenses and puts the staff at risk due to travelling in the dark (where they normally wouldn’t need to). Therefore, we have instigated a Late Fee of R50 per dog for every 15 minutes that the staff must stay behind to cover their extra costs.

We do not allow any dogs to come and start playing after 09h30 in the mornings. Due to their routine, we cannot allow high-energy dogs to come into a relaxed environment where the doggies are tired from playing the whole day. It can cause unnecessary tension and fights amongst the dogs, as the new arrival wants to play, and the other doggies are already tired and want to sleep a little or are engaged in relaxed/slow play.

Kennel Cough is a respiratory disease that typically affects dogs. It causes a dry, rasping cough with a hacking sound similar to the sound when something is stuck in the throat. Although it is normally not deadly, puppies and older or frail dogs can be killed by it. This disease spreads extremely quickly and easily as dogs contaminate each other by licking each other’s faces & mouths, sharing resources like food or water sources, toys, etc. as well as through coughing around one another or licking the same places, like trees or grass. Kennel Cough received its name due to the high outbreaks in unvaccinated kennels as there is a large concentration of dogs socializing together. This has, however, caused the misconception that Kennel Cough is only found in Kennels which is UNTRUE. Kennel Cough can, and is, mostly spread anywhere where dogs can socialize (like parks and beaches) or simply meet for a minute or two (like during walks in the street, or even dogs passing by your gate and greeting your doggy through the fence).

To ensure your doggy’s safety, Dogs Day Out requires ALL dogs to be vaccinated with the Kennel Cough vaccine AND that the vaccine is renewed yearly (as required by the vet).

For more info on Kennel Cough, you can visit Teva’s website here.

The short answer: Your dog probably hasn’t got it.

This is not a vaccine that is given to any dog as a standard procedure. This means you have to specifically ask your vet to give the vaccine to your dog, and you pay extra for the vaccine.

Please note that there are two methods of Kennel Cough vaccination:

Nasal Drops are a live vaccine that is given via your dog’s nasal cavities and has a waiting period of 48 hours before your dog is sufficiently protected. Please note that some vets require a booster vaccine to be given, in which case, your doggy needs to have this booster before coming to visit us.

Injection is a dead vaccine that is given via injection and has a waiting period of 10 days before your dog is sufficiently protected. Please note that some vets require a booster vaccine to be given, in which case, your doggy needs to have this booster before coming to visit us.

For more info on Kennel Cough vaccination options, you can visit Teva’s website here.

As with humans, dogs get to a stage in their lives when hormones rage through their bodies, and behaviour starts to change. Dogs suddenly start to exhibit behaviour like dominancy, moodiness, unprovoked aggression, etc. They also start to actively try and mate with one another – which can lead to unwanted puppies. We want to protect all doggies form this type of behaviour – not to mention trying to protect females from having unwanted puppies. Therefore, Dogs Day Out requires that all females be spayed by age of 6 months and all males be neutered by age of 8 months (unless otherwise stated IN WRITING by a vet for medical purposes only, or you can provide your KUSA registration papers as a breeder). If you are a breeder, you will be expected to sign a waiver stating that any unwanted pregnancies is at your own risk. Please note that even if you have a letter from your vet stating medical purposes, we still retain the right to refuse your doggy to come to daycare from the cut-off age (6 months) if they start displaying any unwanted behaviour, like dominancy displays, humping, females in heat, aggression, etc.

There is nothing that riles up every male as much as an in-heat female. Even sterilised males immediately become possessive, aggressive, and irritable in the presence of a female in heat. This reaction towards a female in heat is not limited to the applicable playpen but affects ALL the males in the building. To protect all our doggies here from unnecessary fights, we will immediately send a dog home if it is found that she is on heat. No exceptions. Your doggy will need to stay home for a minimum of 2 weeks (14 days) before being able to return to daycare again. This is to allow enough time for the hormones to settle again, and the smell of a female in heat lingers on her long after she goes off heat again.

Due to the way our building is set up, all grooming dogs must move through the same corridors as our daycare doggies. They also use the same groom room, staff, and equipment as our daycare doggies. That means that your doggy must be as covered as our Daycare Doggies to ensure that everyone stays safe.

As much as your dog loves you, and if we are lucky, loves us too, anything can happen. Your doggy might get a fright and run into the busy industrial street. Or another doggy is being dropped off / picked up at the same time and they need to be kept apart. Or your doggy is super excited to go play, and runs into the first playpen they see, and then find themselves in a scary situation because it is not their playpen. We want to keep your doggy happy and safe – from car, to playpen and back to car again.

Dogs are “at work” when they are with their owners. This “work” involves protecting their owners and their “property” from other humans and dogs. Even if two dogs are best friends in the playpens at Dogs Day Out, they could possibly be aggressive towards each other when on a lead and/or in the presence of their owners.

 The dogs are also separated in their playpens according to size and temperament which means that although two dogs might look like they belong in the same playpen due to their sizes, they could possibly be in separate pens and have never met one another. 

A dog that misbehaves can be anything from barking in someone’s face to deliberately hurting another dog. The “punishment” will fit the “crime”.

A minor problem like rushing new arrivals or barking in their faces, is dealt with by putting the offending dog on a leash and he/she is made to stand by the handler until the new arrival is inside the playpen. The handler will then take the offending dog to the new arrival and have them say hello nicely before letting him/her off the leash.

A more serious problem, like biting or showing dominance more forcefully, is dealt with by using the Time-Out areas. The offending doggy will immediately be placed in time out for up to a maximum of 5 minutes, before they are allowed to rejoin the group for play.

When a dog deliberately hurts another, or starts a fight, the owner is phoned for immediate pick up (Yellow Card). The dog will be put into a room by himself/herself until the owner arrives to pick up. If it was not too serious, the offending dog will be allowed back for a last trial run. We will talk to the owners of the offending dog and set out a plan on how we would like to work with them and the dog to help him/her lose or change the bad behaviour. We will then actively work with the dog to try and stop the incident from happening again. If, however, it does happen again, the dog will be banned from daycare (Red Card).

The safety of ALL the doggies in our care is our top priority. We try our best not to allow any dog or staff member to get hurt and will do everything in our power to prevent this from happening.

“Reading” a dog’s body language, as well as getting to know the subtle dynamics in a group of dogs is a skill that is learnt with training, time, and a lot of patience. This skill is a vital tool that keeps all the doggies safe and happy by allowing someone to spot the danger signs of unhappy dogs which could result in a fight or a bullying situation. To keep each doggy happy and safe, our handlers are in constant training and spends hours every day with the dogs to hone this skill. Therefore, we cannot risk the safety of the doggies in our care by allowing untrained personnel to watch them. Safe doggies = happy doggies. The dogs also get to know all the staff as they are rotated every day. This makes for a calm environment, and it shows when we suddenly have a “stranger” in the house. The doggies get very upset with the intruder.