B•Playful®

We recommend keeping what you bring to a minimum, as they are only spending a few hours of the day with us. You are welcome to bring a snack or treat for them. Unless there is a medical reason that dictates the need for your dog to have three meals a day, there is no need to bring food for daycare.

Yes. We are happy to help during their day with us! We will log your pet’s food/medication when you check in. Simply leave detailed dispensing instructions and we’ll be sure that they get a private room to relax, eat and take their needed medications before returning to the pack. There is a $5 charge for each administration to cover accommodations.

Absolutely. Provided your puppy is at least 12 weeks of age they can participate in our traditional doggie daycare. Senior dogs too are welcome and will be matched with a group that best fits their energy level. If your pet requires certain rules and limitations, please disclose these on your Temperament Evaluation application and thoroughly discuss them with our daycare staff to ensure that they have a safe and enjoyable time while at daycare.

All Barkefellers have over X,000 square feet of safe and secure indoor and outdoor play areas. Indoor play spaces are covered with a soft rubber flooring which provides a durable, resilient, surface for dog play. Our outdoor play areas are surrounded by an 8-foot solid fence and separated by two 4-foot chain link fences with privacy screens. The area is covered in a soft, resilient, sports turf. Each play surface gets disinfected several times a day. During the summer months we offer kiddie pools. Throughout the year our doggie daycare areas boast large play equipment ensuring that your pet has the ultimate staycation! Our daycare technicians vary activities from day to day, offering water time, games and more, depending on the time of year and the energy level of the pack.

Not at all. Housebroken dogs do not revert at Barkefellers® thanks to specialized flooring. Our flooring is like that which used in many high-end daycares and offers excellent sanitation. It resists smells, and our team members clean messes immediately to make sure the play area is sanitized to minimize the spread of bacteria. Our high-tech HVAC system whisks away smelly odors and circulates fresh air into the space.

Not as much as one might expect. While the daycare room is often bustling with energy, our guests generally spend their time running and playing. While dogs do bark, some more than others, it is not often that many of them do it at once. We do play music throughout the daycare areas but the barking is generally reserved for the welcoming of new guests and the occasional over-spirited game of chase.

Absolutely. While some of our guests can run all day, others tucker-out a bit earlier. Daycare is full of fun and play, but it can often be a somewhat overwhelming environment at first for dogs that have little to no socialization with other dogs. Our staff is trained to watch for cues that let them know when they’ve had enough. Naptime gives each guest a break from their friends and an opportunity to rest. We’re happy to separate dogs from the group for a few minutes to a few hours to ensure that they get the rest needed in order to thoroughly enjoy their time with the pack.

Our daycare punchcards are prepaid discounted daycare days that can be used any time during the year. Ranging from 5-day passes to 50-day passes, they are a great way to save some money on your pet’s daycare and skip the checkout counter when picking up your pup! Discounts are applied per the number of days purchased in advance. Daycare punchcards are non-refundable and cannot be used towards any other service. They expire after 1-year. However, unlike other facilities, our punchcards are transferable and can be used at any Barkefellers® convenient location.

Proper grouping is one of the most important means of creating a safe daycare environment. Beware of pet care facilities that take many dogs, throw them into a room together, and call it daycare. Groups should remain small and always monitored. They should NEVER be left unattended. It’s a very dangerous practice that can lead to conflict and injuries. Barkefellers® understands canine behavior and breaks dogs into groups based on size, temperament, and play activity to ensure that everyone has a fun and safe time! Our technicians match dogs as they arrive daily, allowing them to tell us how they feel that day and where they would have the most fun. We offer two scheduled playtimes per day, allowing ample time for play and rest.

Excellent question! While most corrections are done with verbal cues and body language, they are not always sufficient in gaining the attention needed. If a dog is particularly disruptive, just like children playing on playgrounds, they will be given a time-out until they are able to safely return. In the rare event that there is an altercation, our staff will immediately separate and leash the dogs, removing them from the group and assess for injury. Dogs play with their mouths and paws and like to wrestle around on the ground with each other. If injuries do occur, you are responsible for any medical expenses for your dog, as you would be for your child. Barkefellers® maintains a strict staff-to-dog ratio and our team is constantly involved in, and moving throughout, the pack. They have been trained to watch for the slightest physical or verbal cue that would imply an altercation could take place. But you need to be comfortable in allowing your dog to participate in group play. If you are not, private play is a great way for your pup to have some fun without being a part of the pack. Yet, most pet parents find the benefits of group play outweighs any risk.

Depends. Taking your dog to the pet store, outside on a walk or any place where lots of dogs congregate, like dog parks, dog shows, or veterinarian offices can expose your pup to germs. Likewise, no pet care facility can 100% guarantee that a dog won’t get sick. But at Barkefellers®, we can assure you that we do everything possible to make sure that your dog is provided as safe and clean an environment as is possible. Besides our stringent cleaning and sanitizing protocols, Barkefellers® takes every major precaution to prevent the spread of any kind of illness. Including mandating the Bordetella vaccination for your dog and heavily invested in products and technology that help prevent the spread of any contagious disease. Yet, similar to children catching a cold at school, though not likely it is possible for your dog to experience an illness such as harmless puppy warts or a mild case of canine cough (sometimes referred to as Kennel cough). Kennel cough is the disparaging term used to describe a multitude of contagious respiratory illness in dogs. A vet visit will be needed, but both usually resolve very quickly without complications.

We get asked this question all the time! Please rest assured that your dog has clean water available 24-hours a day. Some dogs don’t drink as much while in daycare due to the extra amount of mental and physical stimulation they experience. Much like small children, all the new people, sights, sounds, and smells can be overly exciting and the last thing they want to do is stop to drink. While this is common, know that we monitor your pet’s water intake, and (although it is rare) we will let you know if your pet is not drinking at all. If your dog drinks in excess when they get home, simply keep an eye on how much water they drink in short periods as drinking large amounts of water too quickly may cause vomiting. Otherwise, it’s perfectly normal.