Frequently Asked Questions: (scroll down for answers)
The dogs sleep in our dog lodge, a fully serviced 1000 s.f. facility located directly next to our house (it was originally a large garage and horse tack barn, and has been extensively renovated for the dogs). The dog lodge has three main living room areas with couches, chairs, and beds, and dogs are separated according to which dogs they like being with the most. They are separated according to personality, age, and at the discretion of our staff. For example, older dogs often prefer to be with older dogs, younger dogs enjoy being with other younger playful dogs, etc..
We kindly ask that you make an appointment between the hours of 9 am 5 pm. We do not allow early arrivals or departures under any circumstances and we close at 6 p.m. daily, no exceptions.
We schedule feeding, baths, outings, and other dogs’ check-in’s and pick-up’s around arrivals and departures. Our free-range set-up does make it challenging to manage arrivals and departures, so we kindly ask for your assistance. It is EXTREMELY difficult to have a new dog arrive or to prepare a dog for check-out during feeding time.
We also need to know when you are arriving in order to prepare your dog for check-out, including bathing and drying time. If you do arrive without making an appointment, your dog will not be bathed and you will have to wait for a period of time in order for us to deal with other dogs and to get your dog ready. You may have to wait as long as two hours as we often are in the back area of the property that is not accessible by guests.
Please, please, please, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT to make it easier for all of us! If you don’t, please expect to wait as long as two hours..
We strongly discourage you from visiting your dog or taking your dog out for a short period of time and then returning him/her. It simply increases their stress level. We have tried this on a number of occasions - the most difficult part for your dog is adjusting to the new environment and finding his/her place in the pack. It's best to let your dog get settled and comfortable for their stay here. Visiting or taking your dog on outings creates confusion and anxiety with most dogs.
5. What do we need to bring with our dog?
Your dog’s regular food (to avoid an upset stomach) and a collar. We provide everything else. If your dog is extremely attached to his/her bed you can bring it along. We cannot guarantee that it will be returned in the same condition as it arrived due to other dogs' "interest" in the item! Cages and Kennels are allowed and can be accommodated.
6. How often are the dogs allowed to play outside?
We have listed our normal daily schedule in our Overview section. The dogs essentially get to be outside as much as they desire, weather permitting. They are allowed to play in the 2-acre free-range area from 8 am-12 noon, they are placed inside in the living rooms for staff lunch, and they are let back out at 1 pm until 6 pm, they are placed inside from 6 pm to 9 pm, and then we go for an evening outing from 9 pm- 10 pm.
7. How do you make sure that the dogs get along with one another?
We require that each dog guest be well trained and socialized in order to stay here. Many of the dogs are frequent guests and we know them well. Any new guests are screened and we often ask for references. If a dog acts aggressive in any way, they are separated and the owner or back-up person is required to take the dog home (this an extremely rare event). The dogs are also supervised by staff when they are playing in the free range area.
8. How do you make sure that the dogs don’t get cold or too hot?
Our fully serviced 1000 s.f. dog lodge has both an air conditioner and heating sources, including a wood stove for very cold winter days.
9. Is the area fenced in and how high is your fence?
The entire five acres is fenced in, with extra modifications in the main 2 acre area. Most of the fencing is about 6 feet high, with some areas the 5 foot plus range. If your dog is an escape artist at home (can dig a large hole in a small amount of time or likes to jump fences), we cannot accept them as a guest.
10. What happens if my dog is injured?
Any time dogs play in a group setting there is some degree of risk. We rarely have injuries to attend to, but it can happen. We’re pleased to say that we’ve never had a serious injury and we rarely have an injury that requires veterinary care. We have a local veterinarian 10 minutes away who is also available on-call on an emergency basis (we’re thankful we’ve never had to use his emergency service!).
11. Do they all sleep together?
The dogs sleep in one of three main living rooms with their furry friends. As mentioned, they are separated according to personality, age, and at the discretion of our staff.
12. Can I drop my dogs off by helicopter? Can you pick my dog up and drop him/her back off by vehicle?
Yes, we have a helicopter landing area within the resort that is used by guests’ owners. We can also arrange for pick-up from the Pemberton airport, located approximately 8 kilometers away. We can also arrange for door-to-door pick-up or drop-off in Whistler and the Vancouver area.