Yes, I have undergone numerous full inspections by NEDDC and have achieved the highest standard rating of 5 stars, in accordance with DEFRA’s Animal Establishments Regulations (2018). I have a diploma in pet sitting, certificate in dog first aid, am DBS checked and have full public liability insurance. My Animal (Dogs) Home Boarding Licence Reference Number is 21/15865/ANIMAL.
Whilst I don’t offer public bookings for overnight boarding, any existing day care customer who has their dog regularly attend day care is more than welcome to discuss the options of overnight boarding for holiday cover. As this is a limited service, there is usually only one dog boarding overnight so they are even more integrated into our home and family life, but still experience the daytime fun and socialisation during day care opening hours.
Doggy day care is exactly as it suggests, daytime care for your dog, just like school or nursery whereby you drop your dog off in the morning and collect at the end of the working day. Tails ‘n’ Trails dog day care is a home environment with a limited number of dogs as opposed to the larger commercial day care facilities which don’t have the cosy comforts of a home and can take 20, 30, 40 or more dogs at a time.
Home dog day care provides:
· Socialisation - an opportunity to meet and play with other like minded pets
· Mental stimulation – an opportunity to learn the language of dogs through experiencing appropriate social etiquette without being overwhelmed by too many dogs of different characteristics, breeds, sizes and dominance
· A routine - that relieves boredom and separation anxiety
· Exercise – meaning your dog will be tired and relaxed when returning home, but not overly worn out from over stimulation
Once all doggies have arrived for the day, we head out on a fun and stimulating walk in the local area. Walks take place anywhere from a large recreational area, to woodland, parkland, countryside or a combination of all of this! Once doggies have had their initial exercise and have rested and dried off, they are free to roam, play and chill in our home and garden.
Tails ‘n’ Trails is licensed for up to 8 dogs but as a general rule I only book in 6 dogs at a time to accommodate for emergencies and the occasional overnight boarder.
Absolutely! This is actually a pre-requisite before booking your dog in with me. After completing an initial online booking form, we will arrange a mutually agreeable day and time for you to visit with your dog to go through your form and discuss yours and your pup’s specific needs.
I am fairly particular about which dogs are welcomed to use the home day care service as it is our family home, is an ‘open play’ environment so it is extremely important that dogs’ temperaments are suitable for day care. Each dog will require a trial session before regular bookings will be accepted. As a general rule, I tend to only accept small to medium sized dogs so smaller dogs are not overwhelmed by larger dogs and to ensure all dogs have adequate space in the home. If your dog isn’t good with other dogs, shows any level of aggression, then sadly, the home day care environment probably isn’t suitable for them. It would be unfair to put your dog in the situation where they feel uncomfortable and equally unfair to expose other dogs in the day care setting to potential aggressive reactions.
I completely understand that most owners want to wait before getting their dog spayed/castrated to give them a chance to fully develop, but once they reach growth maturity (usually 6 to 12 months), I would require your dog to be neutered to attend the home day care setting. The regulations of daycare are designed for the safety of the group. Dogs that are not neutered or spayed are sometimes a problem in an open-play environment like doggy daycare. Neutering and spaying curb behaviours that prevent dogs from being accepted in a pack and allows them to play with other dogs without being over-possessive.
Your pup will ideally need to be at least 8 months old before regularly joining in day care, although if they are matured enough before this, I am flexible to take them slightly younger, once a trial has been carried out. Whilst some commercial daycare centres will accept puppies from any age once they are fully vaccinated, I don’t feel the daycare environment is good for young pups as they can easily become overtired and over-stimulated in environments with lots of animals, causing them to exhibit behaviours such as biting, jumping, barking, racing around, destructive chewing etc. As an interim alternative, if you are local to me, I offer Puppy Pop Ins whilst your pup is very young and can even begin the transition gradually welcoming them into the day care setting an hour or so at a time during this period.
Yes. As part of home boarding licensing conditions, all dogs must attend a familiarisation session to see how they integrate into the setting and interact with the other day care dogs to ensure all dogs get on and that your dog is likely to relax once used to the day care setting. After initial consultation discussions, I get a feel for the dog and their suitability to the day care environment, but if I don’t feel your dog is suited to day care either before or after their trial session, I will be open and honest about this. Please do not be disappointed if I refuse your dog – I have your dog’s best interests at heart and will always suggest alternative options that may be more suited to your dog. I always want the best for every dog that comes to Tails ‘n’ Trails Dronfield.
Whilst many customers have regular days to meet their work commitments, and this is the ideal situation for ourselves, some customers prefer to book in on an ad hoc basis to meet occasional work or social engagement needs and this is accommodated wherever possible.
My day care days generally operate from 8am to 5pm but I am more than happy to accept dogs a little outside of these times subject to your requirements. This is something we can discuss when you visit for your initial consultation.