Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any other questions please give us a call at 740-368-1999 or stop by the Contact page to send us an email!
Are you Hiring?
Please take a look at our job opportunities page to see any positions available!
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Is your building air conditioned?
Yes! On particularly hot days we keep the outside doors closed and the AC on with 15-20 minute potty breaks outside. We make sure everyone is nice and cool when the hot days of summer hit.
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What is your facility like?
We are unlike a traditional kennel. Our dogs enjoy all day community play. Team members spend the day playing with our doggy guests and doing different enrichment activities. At night they sleep in special houses or lodging, each with their own theme and comfortable cots.
Do all the dogs get along?
It’s important for all dogs boarding with us to get along with other dogs because they spend the day together in our community setting. For the safety of all of our guests and staff, we require that doggy guests are comfortable with other pets and people. If you have not been here before we require a playgroup evaluation, so we can assess how your dog interacts and make sure they are suitable for our facility.
Does my dog have to be spayed/neutered?
We require adult pets (over 6 months old) to be altered as our community setting is not conducive to intact pets.
Why must my dog be spayed or neutered?
Altered dogs generally interact a lot better with other animals. Having unaltered males or dominant females together is a high risk scenario. Since the dogs are in a community situation and we do not separate by gender this also allows us to avert any unplanned pregnancies. Exceptions are considered for underage dogs or pets that are granted a medical exception by your veterinarian.
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Does my dog need vaccinations?
We require bordetella, core vaccinations, and rabies shots. Please bring verification of your pets vet records. We are a flea-free facility. Please refer to our flea policy below for further details.
What is your flea Policy?
We are a flea-free facility. If you suspect your pet has fleas, you are required to come in before your appointment/ reservation to purchase and administer a Capstar quick-kill pill ($10 each). Capstar ensures that pets arrive and leave flea free- please note it is not a preventative flea treatment and we recommend applying a preventative treatment within 24-48 hours of the Capstar treatment. Flea infested pets will be sent out of the facility until a Capstar pill has been administered and has at least 2 hours to take effect. If we accept a pet and find it has fleas after you have left, we will administer a Capstar pill and call you to pick-up your pet. If you are unavailable to pick up your pet, an additional $25 fee for premises cleanup will be incurred. (In addition to the $10 Capstar fee). If you have any questions regarding this policy or need help checking your pet for fleas, please let us know so that we may assist you.
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Can my dog be groomed while they stay?
We have a full service grooming salon to pamper your pet during their stay. Please see our Grooming Salon page for more details.
Can I bring my own dog food, toys, beds, etc?
Yes, you can bring any items that will make your pet feel comfortable during their stay. If you want your pet to travel light, we always provide everything necessary to complete your pets stay including beds, bowls, food and toys. Our house food (which is included in your stay) is a natural lamb and rice. If your pet is nervous and it’s their first time, it is nice to bring something from home with your smell on it.
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* Please note: Delaware Pet Stuff is not responsible for any personal items left with our guests. *
If you choose to leave additional personal belongings, we will not be responsible for their replacement, even if lost or damaged. Since we are a community play facility, we also recommend providing your dog with an inexpensive daycare collar and tag while they play. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please let our staff know so they can address your concerns. Thank you for your understanding.
My dogs on a special diet or needs medicine administered during their stay, is that alright?
Yes of course. Just give us clear instructions on feeding and or dosage and we will be happy to accommodate!
My dog is aggressive with other dogs...can they still come in?
No, we're sorry, but for the safety of our other dogs this is not possible. We do not have the staff or facility for rehabilitation.
My dog has not been around other dogs or is nervous..can they still come in?
Yes, we can schedule a daycare day so we can assess your dog and see if they will be appropriate for and happy in our facility.
How big are the houses they stay in?
We have different sizes, to accommodate different dogs. They range from 25 sq. ft. up to 60+ sq. ft. and are all approximately 6 ft. in height. Houses include windows and homey interiors too. Our non-cabin lodging is perfect for dogs that are chewers or who want a more open space.
Do you have grass outside? How many times a day do they go out?
Our play space has large open garage doors that give the pups lots of fresh air and natural light as well as access to our outside patio (with a tall strong fence) that is accessible to them 12 hours a day! Our outside patio does not have grass to ensure proper sanitation and disease control protocols can be maintained.
How do you handle dogs fighting?
All of the dogs who come to our facility are screened to make sure they are a good fit. This keeps the fights to a minimum. If a fight does break out, our trained staff will use methods such as citronella spray and separation of dogs into timeouts to restore a calm community.
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My dog is nervous how will you introduce them?
We integrate most dogs slowly, keeping them separate at first and then introducing them to a couple of appropriate dogs at a time until they are comfortable.
Can I choose what house my dog goes in?
We will do our best to accommodate your housing request but requests can not always be granted. Some houses are more appropriate to certain sizes and temperaments of dogs than others.
Can my dogs be boarded together?
Of course! If you feel like they get along well we have several houses that can accommodate multiple dogs!
Can you keep my pet separate from other dogs? Separate from female/male dogs or small dogs?
Our facility is based on the dogs being in a pack together so they cannot be completely separated from other dogs. Nor do we separate pets based on gender. However, if you have a small dog, yes, they are separated from big dogs, they will just hang out with other small dogs. If you have an older dog we can keep them in a group with other calm or older dogs and give them frequent breaks. We try to give each dog companions they will mix well with but they cannot be kept completely separate from other guests.
My dog likes a lot of human interaction and attention, can you accommodate that?
Yes! In our facility we can give the dogs as much attention and one on one time as they need.
Why are your boarding different than other traditional kennels?
We are very different than other traditional kennels. It is our goal to ensure your pet gets a stress free, fun and enriching boarding experience. Our community play setting gives your dogs up to 12 hours a day of play. Our doggy guests do a variety of activities and get lots of personal attention. When your pet retires at night, they will be tired and sleep in a quiet facility in their own custom house or lodging keeping their stress levels to a minimum. We are also able to personalize their stay to do activities they enjoy, such as swimming, fetching, and cuddling.
Safe Collar Policy
We recommend the use of break-away daycare collars for your dog when they stay in our community based facility. If you choose to not use a daycare collar then please outfit your dog in a standard flat collar. No choke, prong or martingale collars please. We prefer that dogs do not play totally “naked” as there is also a risk to your dog if we do not have the ability to gain physical control of dogs quickly. Our facility does have an emergency tool box for quick access in case of an entanglement. If you have any questions regarding our safety policies, please let us know. Thank you for your cooperation.