No matter how many hugs and kisses you give your pup on the way out the door it's hard to see their sad little faces as you leave for work. We too, are one of those families. We want to provide that loving second home for your four legged family member. We are proud to share that second home with you.

There are a number of common questions that folks ask so we thought we would take a moment to address some of these:

What will our dog do while at daycare?
Our dog daycare is treated like a daycare for children. Our daily routine is commonly like this: Open supervised playtime in the mornings during drop-off, All dogs will be rotated through the rooms on nearly the hour which includes supervised playtime outside. Frequent water breaks, snacks, nap time, music time --It is our hope also to provide a report card at the end of the each day to let you know how our day went.


Can we visit your facility or do we require an appointment?
We highly recommend that you stop in anytime during our open hours. No appointment is necessary. We believe that open door policy is very important. We would never consider a daycare situation without examining every corner of the building first.

What is your ratio Pack Leaders to Dogs?
Our ratio is no more that 7-10 dogs per pack leader. In order to be on top of supervision and cleanliness of the premises, it is important to maintain this ratio. Much like our two small children, it doesn't take but a split second for them to find trouble. Supervision and interaction is key.


Are you a qualified instructor?
We have had experience and studied basic training for dogs, however, we do not consider ourselves 'instructors'. Be careful with those that call themselves Licensed Dog Trainers as there are no governing agencies which give accreditation to dog class instructors. Therefore, it is often difficult to know if you have found a qualified dog obedience instructor or one whose personality and methods are right for you. Please be careful as folks can self-appoint titles. Do inquire about who certified them, methods of training, are they the member of obedience clubs, have they attended workshops, seminars and clinics presented by well-respected and proven trainers from around the nation?
With this said, we do not consider ourselves instructors, however, we believe that we have enough knowledge and study with dog behaviors to recognize when a dog is in distress in a pack environment. This is important to communicate that we need to interject immediately and divert the pack's attention to avoid any confrontations between dogs as best as we can.


Will you offer training?
As we believe it is difficult to train dogs in a pack environment we are hoping to begin training courses by Summer of 2008 , if not sooner. Information will be provided once available.

Do note that during the day care days we are constantly reinforcing positive behaviors from the dogs. Like in a regular 'daycare' they are not allowed to misbehave. There is a time out room for any dog that needs a break from the over-excitement of running with the pack.


How do you clean the animal waste?
The floors are covered wall-to-wall with horse stall mats. This allows some cushion and traction for the dogs feet. When they urinate on the floor - we immediately mop and use cleaner on the area. The floor mats are not glued down to allow us to roll up the area and mop underneath. Cleanliness is EXTREMELY important to us. Dog poop is picked up immediately, double bagged and followed up by cleaner. There are hand sanitizer dispensers around the facility to ensure that the employees stay clean and free of any fecal matter and to avoid spreading any germs.

Outside, the urine and poop are treated much the same - but the urine is washed into our sump pump bucket and whisked away to the sewer system.

What happens if during play my dog is injured?
As we are both first aid and CPR certified, any small cut on the ear or muzzle, etc we have confidence that we can treat. Please note that we have the strict policy that a CPR/First Aid trained employee must be on staff during every shift.

If it's a situation where we do not feel comfortable, cannot treat the animal, or the animal is showing signs of distress -we will immediately contact your vet on your 'Emergency Contact' sheet. If your vet is not available- our back up is Dr. David Rabkin at Maplewood Animal Hospital. A staff member will take the dog to the vet in the case of an emergency.

Are you associated with any organizations?
We have a very strong sense of community and are actively working to join forces with many other groups - those include Whatcom Chamber of Commerce, Grateful Dog Off Leash Club, Pet Sitters International, NADDA, ABKA, Humane Society of the United States, just to name a few. We will be working hard to support our local humane society to help promote pet adoption using our dog daycare services. We hope people that are choosing to not adopt because they are working full-time will reconsider with day care options like this.



What is a temperament test and why do we need it?
Our temperament test is the same that the AKC uses. It consists of 8 different steps that puts the dogs in different scenarios and allows us to observe their reaction. Please note however, that observation of the dogs goes on not only the first full day of care, but every moment they are in day care.

Dogs are separated by size and temperament to help create healthy packs. Any dogs that are borderline with testing/observation with have a blue collar put on. This will help the employees to keep a closer eye in a pack environment.

We test/observe the dogs to ensure that not only are they a good fit for day care, but that we are also a good fit for them. It needs to be a healthy and positive environment for everyone.

What breed of dogs are allowed at Ruff Day Doggie Daycare?
Any and all breeds are welcomed to our daycare. They will all be tested and observed the same.
According to Leslie Sinclair of the Humane Society of the United States , the aggressive potential of a dog is mainly the product of five factors:
1. The quality of care and level of supervision provided by the owner.
2. The degree of socialization that the dog has experienced.
3. The level and type of training he/she has received.
4. The behavior of the victim (if attacked)
5. The genetic predisposition for aggression possessed by the specific dog.

With this said, we believe that there is no such thing as bad dogs-- only bad behavior. All dogs will be treated equal at Ruff Day Doggie Daycare.


If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us or stop by to visit.

We look forward to you joining our family.










Play for a Healthy Life!