The benefits of Daycare include much needed exercise, dog-dog socialization, less guilt for you (because most of us don't have the time to give our dogs all the exercise they need) and less wear and tear on your house if you happen to have a destructive pup. We can accommodate most special needs like feeding meals, offering naps or down-time in our Zen Dens. You can expect your dog to come home tired and possibly thirsty. Even though they have ample access to water, some dogs just don't drink enough water to offset all that activity.
Ice Cream Service:
A great way to break up your dogs' day is to treat them to
our popular Ice Cream Service. Your dog will take a well deserved nap
in one of our Zen Dens and leisurely enjoy a Lick-a-Lots, yummy, healthy
dog ice cream (www.petkoolers.com).
After a little water and digestion time, your dog will return to day
care for the remainder of the day. Ask a WAG Specialist when you drop
your dog off for this added service.
All dogs must be spayed or neutered. We welcome unaltered puppies who have received their complete round of puppy shots to come and stay with us up until 7 months of age. Puppies 7 months of age and older must be spayed or neutered.
WAG-A-LOT follows the recommendations of the University of Georgia Veterinary School Teaching Hospital. All dogs that stay with us must submit proof of current vaccinations for:
Rabies
DHLPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Leptospirosis, Parvo & Para influenza)
Bordatella (aka Kennel Cough or Tracheo Bronchitis)*
*Kennel cough is a highly contagious airborne infection similar to the common cold that kids can pick up while at human daycare. No vaccine is 100% effective as new strains of Kennel Cough continually develop and some dogs can be more susceptible to the infection than others. WAG-A-LOT takes all possible precautions to eliminate the possible spread of this infection in our facilities. We strictly monitor and maintain proper ventilation at all times and follow a rigorous cleaning schedule. In addition to requiring a current Bordatella vaccination we highly recommend that owners get this vaccination two weeks prior to their first boarding or daycare visit. The vaccine can take up to two weeks to become fully effective. There is also some current debate about how long the various vaccines will protect your dog. Ask your veterinarian for more information and make sure they know when your dog will be staying with us.
Prior to your dog's first day of day care, you need to complete and submit the on-line Registration & Release Form, provide us with proof of current vaccinations and call us to schedule your dog's trial day of day care. The trial day of day care includes a temperament test and time for our WAG Specialists to work one on one with your dog to acclimate them to group play. This time allows us to observe your dog in a controlled small group environment to see how they will react to other dogs. This can be a slow process and can take up to 5 hours to allow us to appropriately asses your dog and make any adjustments to the process in order to make this a positive experience with lasting benefits. Dogs that show signs of aggressive behavior or other traits that could put the other dogs or our employees at risk will not be admitted. In most cases, a dog’s overall behavior is improved by group play as well as the interaction with our trained WAG Specialists. However, outside and genetic factors can sometimes lead to increased aggression and/or inappropriate behavior in dog’s who have been participating in Daycare for some time. Dog’s who exhibit behaviors that cannot be reasonably controlled or modified by our staff and that pose a threat to other dogs or our employees will cause us to suspend and or expel dogs from our facilities.
At WAG-A-LOT we believe our first responsibility is to the beloved dogs who use our services and products. Ensuring their safety and enjoyment is our guiding principal.
Temperament Test & Behavioral Assessment: $30
$20 each additional dog
Required trial day prior to first Day Care or Boarding stay. Drop off by 10 AM. 5 hour minimum visit.
Dog Day Care
$22 / day for 1 dog
$16 each additional dog
10 Visit Prepaid Discount Package
$190 for 1 dog / 10 visits
$140 each additional dog / 10 visits
*Multi-dog discounts are offered only for dogs from the same household to help make daycare more affordable for people with more than one dog.
"Suds" Departure Bath: $20 for most dogs
Offered in conjunction with a boarding or Daycare stay. (Extra large or long-haired breeds may be charged extra). We also offer full service Grooming, 7 days a week.
We accept Cash, Check, Visa, Master Card, American Express & Discover. A NSF charge of $35 apllies to any returned checks / bounced checks.
Q. Does your outside area have grass?
A. No. Grass would soon turn to mud with all the dogs we have here playing on it. Our surfaces are solid for ease of cleaning and safety. Even though your dog is used to eliminating on grass, dogs are pretty adaptable and figure out that this is the place that they are supposed to go.
Q. My dog is older. I'd like him to get some play time but all day may be too much. What can you do for older, less active dogs?
A. We try to be as flexible as possible and meet the needs of all types of dogs and any special requests. Our facilities have Zen Rooms that are perfect for older dogs or dogs with joint ailments. They can get as much or as little group play as you'd like, then they can have some down time to relax and recuperate. We can also schedule naps or lunch-breaks if you'd like.
Q. My dog is shy around other dogs and really hasn't socialized that much. Will they enjoy being with a large group of dogs?
A. Dogs are descendants of wolves and are pack animals by nature. When in a group, they will instinctively find their place in the pack. This can be an ongoing process but they usually find pack members at their same rank and play with them. It can take a few days for them to feel fully comfortable, but you'd be amazed at how a shy dog will blossom and become one of the more playful ones!
Q. I take my dog to the dog park and he seems to be always trying to hump other dogs. Sometimes, the other dog will turn around and growl and snap at him. Is he appropriate for Daycare?
A. Humping is a sign of dominance. The pack has a natural order to it and some dogs are born Alpha's (pack leaders). It is very natural for these dogs to try to show they are the leader of the pack. Dogs communicate their displeasure with something by growling or snapping first, without actually biting. Our Wag Specialists are trained to recognize the signs of dominance and curtail any unwanted aggression. So long as your dog does not become overly aggressive and pose a threat to other dogs or our employees, they are appropriate for Daycare.
Q. Is Daycare safe for my dog? Could he get bitten by another dog?
A. When dogs play, they use their paws and mouths and like wolves, their play mimics fighting or wrestling. In rare instances play goes too far and a dog can get bitten or scratched. Think of it like the playground, occasionally, kids who play hard end up with cuts and bruises. Rest assured however, that WAG-A-LOT takes the safety of the dogs in our care very seriously and takes all precautions to avoid any occurrence of injury.
We are constantly assessing your dog’s overall health while they are in our care. In the event your dog is injured or becomes ill while at WAG-A-LOT, they will be treated onsite immediately and if necessary, will be transported to one of the many local Veterinarians. Our WAG Specialists and Managers are trained in Pet First Aid and each location has a fully stocked Dog First Aid kit and our own internally developed (and Vet approved!) Dog First Aid Manuals. We will always err on the side of caution when it comes to the well being of our guests. If we feel Veterinary care is appropriate, we will always attempt to contact you first. However, we will not delay the transportation to a Veterinarian if we feel care is needed urgently.
