Holidays

While we are staffed to accommodate our boarders, our lobby will close in observance of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Daycare, grooming, check-in or check-out services will be unavailable during these holidays.

Age Requirements

Your dog must be between 4 months and 13 years of age.

Spaying & Neutering

All dogs enrolled at BARKS must be spayed or neutered by nine (9) months of age if participating in play-group.

Vaccination Requirements

  All dogs in our care must be current on the following vaccinations:

1. Rabies – required annually.
2. Distemper (DHLPP, DHPP or DHLP-PV) – required annually; 3-year vaccine acceptable for dogs aged 6 years or older.
3. Bordetella – required every 6 months (intranasal).

A copy of vaccination records must be provided prior to admission to our facility. We reserve the right to limit or refuse service to dogs with expired or undocumented vaccinations.

Flea & Tick Control

  Your dog must be on a veterinarian-approved topical flea & tick control product. Acceptable products include:

• Frontline Top Spot or Frontline Plus
• Advantage or K-9 Advantage
• Revolution

Temperament Testing

BARKS is a cage-free environment, where dog interaction and play are encouraged.  It is a social model and not ideal for all dogs.  Staff must be able to safely handle our guests in all situations.  Dogs are pack animals and they naturally observe a social hierarchy. One poorly socialized dog in a play-group can easily disrupt the order of the pack and create unsafe situations for dogs in our care and our staff. Although we accommodate dogs of all energy levels, our facility is not an appropriate setting for socializing aggressive dogs. All dogs must pass a Temperament Test prior to enrollment; eligibility for play-group will also be assessed at this time. Temperament Tests are conducted by appointment only, Monday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturdays 10am-4pm. The test typically takes 30 minutes and incurs a one-time, non-refundable $25-fee.  Please call during business hours to schedule testing and to discuss the enrollment process.  Enjoyable, safe, stays for each of our guests is our goal. Anxious and shy dogs may need more gentle orientation. Therefore, even after passing the temperament test, we may recommend shorter stays prior to overnight boarding, to slowly acclimate some dogs to the environment and staff.  We discourage scheduling the temperament test and boarding on the same day. Please plan accordingly!

General Health

Dogs admitted to our facility must be in good health. BARKS will not admit any dog posing a known health risk to other dogs in our care. This decision is at the sole discretion of the Facility Manager. Please notify our staff promptly of any health issues or changes in your dog’s behavior. We advise against boarding dogs that are very elderly, have terminal illnesses or are in the late stages of illness.

Medications

We will administer oral and topical medications on a case-by-case basis. Medications are discussed at the Temperament Test and reviewed at the time of check-in. We may not be able to accommodate or enroll dogs with complex medication regimens. All medications shall be provided by the parent with clear labeling and written instructions, including medication name, dog’s name, dosage, administration frequency and route. We do not administer injections. Guests requiring special care (e.g. special handling, bandage changes, splint changes, hand feeding, walking assistance, etc.) are accommodated on a case-by-case basis. For information regarding food for your dog, please read our food policy.