Why daycare?

Dog Daycares are a great place for your dog to get some socialization, independence, and exercise! It's also helpful if you have a puppy at home who is still working on being potty trained and no one to come home during the day to let them out! 

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What is required?

All dogs over 12 weeks must have their Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella and flea & lice treatment. At 16 weeks and older all dogs must have their Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella, Rabies, and flea & lice treatment. We do not make any exceptions. Please ensure these are up to date to avoid disappointment at check in! 

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Will you accept titer testing in place of vaccinations?

Yes! If you have the paperwork to prove your dog still has the necessary immunity to Rabies, Parvo, Distemper, and Bordetella we will accept that in place of a vaccine certificate! 

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Will you accept vaccines done by myself?

Unfortunately, no. We have no way of determining how the vaccines were stored, handled, or administered and thus cannot guarantee their effectiveness. All vaccines must be administered by a licensed veterinarian.

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How do I get started?

We're glad you chose Creekside to help you look after your pup! To get started you can create a customer profile on our customer portal.

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After that, you book an assessment day at your earliest convenience, once your pup has passed the assessment he or she is welcome to come to Creekside whenever!

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What is an assessment? What happens?

An assessment is more like a meet and greet and less like an exam (so tell your pup they don't need to study!) Using a system created by a trainer, we will see how your dog handles meeting new dogs. We will look for signs of stress and how severe they are if they're present, willingness and tolerance to new dogs meeting them, and willingness to play with others. This gives us a good idea if daycare would be a fit for them. 

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Our assessments are done over a 3-5 hour period. We will empty out a room and bring just your dog into it. Once they seem comfortable we will slowly introduce them 1 by 1 to all the dogs we have in that day. We will introduce each dog at the speed your dog is comfortable at, we will not push your dog before they are ready to meet a new dog. This means the assessments can take as short as 10 minutes for outgoing and confident dogs or as long as the entire 5 hour period for more shy or insecure dogs.

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Our goal is to ensure each dog loves coming to Creekside, and rushing the assessment can cause unneeded stress and build a negative association with the staff, the facility, and our other dogs.

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​Any dogs who show aggression or attack any dog for any reason during their assessment will not pass. They will be removed to a separate kennel and you will be required to come pick your dog up. They will, unfortunately, not be welcomed back for daycare.

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Why does my dog need to do an assessment?

Daycare isn't for every dog, even though we wish it could be! To ensure the dogs in our care are kept mentally and physically happy, we assess each dog for the appropriateness of daycare. If they are too nervous or stressed out, it may be better to stay home or find a dog walker in your neighborhood. If they play too rough, or intimidate other dogs your pup may not pass our assessment. Our priority will always be the safety and well being of the dogs in our care and assessments help ensure each and every dog has the best time with us!

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When can I do an assessment?

We do our meet and greets Monday to Friday at any time before 2pm. We highly recommend being available to leave your pup with us for a half day (around 3-5 hours) so they get the time to meet everyone, explore everything our facility has to offer, and find a friend or two! 

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My dog is unspayed/unneutered, can they still come?

We understand it is healthier for many breeds of dog to wait for as long as possible to spay or neuter. Because of this our spay and neuter policy is extended to 1 year. However, at the 6 month mark we will be keeping a close eye on the dog. If they are acting inappropriately (humping, aggression, obsession) we will ask that the dog stay home until they are spayed or neutered.

PLEASE NOTE: Any females who enter into their first heat before the 1 year mark MUST stay home during the heat and for 1 week post cycle. 

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But I don't have plans to spay/neuter my pet.

That decision is entirely up to the owner and we hope no one would feel pressured to make a decision they don't want. However, for the well being of our pack our policy still stands. Your dog will be welcome for separated boarding should you ever need the care!

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Do you offer treats?

We do! We find treats are a fast, effective, way to capture the behaviours we want to see and dissuade from the behaviours we do not want to see! We currently use Beef Liver as our treats. If your dog has an allergy to meat, please let us know in advance!

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What do I need to bring?

On or before the first day we will need proof of vaccines (Rabies, Parvo, Distemper, and Bordetella) as well as proof of a flea and lice treatment (Revolution or Advantage Multi are the brands we recommend) and a flat collar (quick release is preferred over a buckle). Please do not bring any training collars (chains, pinch collars, e-collars) or collars with spikes on them. These will be taken off the dog and placed with leashes and may get lost.

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Are passes refundable?

Unfortunately no - none of our passes are refundable or transferable for boarding stays. Please ensure dog daycare, and Creekside, are right for you and your dog before pre-purchasing a large amount of days.

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What is a half day?

Half day is anything less than 5 hours.

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When do I have to pick my dog up by?

All daycare dogs must be picked up no later than 8pm. If you are unable to pick up by 8pm your dog will be placed into a kennel and will spend the night with us and you will be charged a nightly boarding fee. We re-open at 7am and you are welcome to stop in anytime after to pick your dog up.

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What does my dog do all day?

Many dogs are different in how they go about their day! Some play from the moment they're dropped off to the moment they go home! Some mix-up their play time with rest breaks in the shade, or some snuggle time with staff. If you ever want updates, please feel free to ask! Staff can send text or email updates throughout the day at your request!

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Will my dog be put into a kennel?

Did you know a dog, home alone, will rest for over 80% of their day? Coming to daycare for 8+ hours a day can be a huge change to that much rest! While we understand that coming to daycare is an excellent way to burn off energy, we also want to encourage regular breaks! Rest periods can help bring a dog back under threshold, can stave off tantrums (yep! Just like toddlers dogs get very upset when they're tired too!), and can help reduce the risk of muscle, ligament, or joint issues! Most dogs are great at self-regulating their own rest periods by finding a quiet place in the yard to relax. If we find your dog can't or won't self-regulate, we may put them away for 30 minutes to an hour around lunch time to ensure they get the breaks their body and mind need! 

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As well if it has been a busy day and there is a lot of cleaning to do, daycare attendees left after 7pm may be placed into runs by themselves to ensure they are kept safe while we focus on cleaning the facility for the next day!

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Can I bring food?

Absolutely! All our daycare dogs will be on the same feeding schedule as our boarding dogs (breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12pm and dinner at 5pm). If your dog requires a meal at any time of the day please feel free to drop off some food and let staff know at time of check in when you would like them to eat! PLEASE LABEL YOUR CONTAINER with your dogs name. 

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Can my dog catch Kennel Cough from your facility?

We use vet grade disinfectant in our facility and have powerful UV HVAC filters and systems, however Kennel Cough is very similar to the human cold, it is an airborne virus that can be passed on just about anywhere. The pet store, the groomer, the kennel, or even the dog park! The vaccine works similarly to the flu vaccine and does not guarantee 100% immunity. If your dog catches Kennel Cough, the vaccine will help reduce the symptoms and severity as well as the length of time your dog is sick. If you are worried about your dog's well being, or symptoms have been present for longer than 7 days, please seek out veterinary care! 

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Will my dog get dirty at your facility?

We are primarily an outdoor facility (weather permitting). We like to let our dogs be dogs whilst in our care. By the end of the day you may have a dirty or slightly damp dog. This is why we offer our free self wash for customer to use upon pick up from their boarding or daycare stay. You may also request that a staff member complete an exit bath for an extra charge to ensure a clean and dry dog upon your arrival. 

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Why is my dog left in a kennel for 2 hours after they have been fed?

We keep dogs in their separate kennel for 2 hours after feedings to ensure that nobody in our care develops GDV - Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus also known as Bloat. Bloat is a rapidly progressive life threatening condition in which the stomach of a dog twists, causing a lack of blood flow to the stomach as well as trapping the gases and contents of the stomach. Keeping them in a kennel greatly reduces this risk by giving them time to digest and move the food throughout their digestive tract. With that being said, when bringing your pup to our facility please notify us if they have eaten within the last 2 hours prior to their arrival.