Ruff House TRAINING classes Starting January!

While at Ruff House, we love to romp and play and have a grand ol' time, we never overlook the importance of good, solid behavior training.
Having a dog can be one of life's most enriching experiences. On the other hand, if your pet is unruly, it can be a nightmare. Not only is an unruly dog less enjoyable, but it also put's that dog at risk of having the label of "Dangerous Dog" in society. A "Dangerous Dog" by legal definition does not mean aggressive, but rather any dog that puts other people and pets in danger while in their presence. This can mean things such as bolting out of an open door, jumping up on people, not coming when called, etc.We have taken note of the lack of training resources available in the area, and we're here to help! Beginning Saturday, January 8th, 2010 We will hold Weekly Training sessions with Trainer and one of the Ruff House Founders: Tarah Harding! This will be a six week course held Every Saturday from 3pm-4pm, immediately following our Puppy Socialization classes.
Tarah will help you learn how to properly train your dog, using positive methods that will not only help transform your pet into a well-behaved enjoyable companion, but also help strengthen the bond you share with your furry friend.Over the course of six weeks, you will learn how to properly teach:

• Recall: getting your dog to come when called- despite distractions
• SitCradle: Getting your dog to settle in a submissive position, and relax calmly
• Down
• Stand
• Bite Inhibition: getting them to stop mouthing and nipping too hard during play or any inappropriate timesSit-down-stand-down-sit: Getting your dog to perform sit, down, and stand from all starting positions.Take It
• Leave It
• Watch
• Stay (from a sit and down)Heel: Proper walking both on and off leash
• Word RecognitionNo Jump
• Quiet (No Bark)Handling: Letting you handle paws, ears, mouths, fur, etc. for grooming/ examining.

Sequoia demonstrates a proper "leave it" despite lots of temptation! What a good girl. The leave it command not only makes for super cute pictures, but it can even be a life-saving command if your dog is near something harmful or dangerous. Here's Max perfectly demonstrating "wait" with Tarah. The wait command is especially important for preventing your pet from dashing out in dangerous situations, such as busy streets, or around children that could easily be knocked over.
Here's Zola, showing everyone how to Down-Stay. What a good girl.
Beyond just behavior training, some tricks are just plain cute, as Mendo demonstrates "Shake" or "Paw" with Tarah.


Availability is limited, as we will be keeping classes small to give the best personal attention possible. Please call us today if you'd like to take part in these training classes.

As always, we strongly encourage those with young pups to take part in our Puppy Socialization every Saturday from 12pm-3pm. (just $5) If you wish to participate in the Training Classes, we especially encourage some playtime before hand to help your dog focus, focus, focus!

801.765.7777

The Holidays are Great for Romping and playing!

The holiday season is one of our very favorite times of the year! Sure the Christmas and New Year's festivities are fun, but what we really like best, is having a full house of doggies to play with and love on.We have loved taking care of these pooches while their owners have been away, and are so thankful they found us! We hope that everyone is having a safe and happy Holiday Season!!


Mylo- a recent rescue- has been playing with us at Ruff House for the Holidays! He's so sweet, we couldn't help but fall in love with him! Just look at that face. He is a perfect example of the beautiful, loving pets waiting in shelters for their forever homes.
Kodi loves to play fetch with the staff! He made a new friend today-Bear, another yellow lab who equally loves the ball-chasing game! Our staff have really gotten attached to this handsome boy during his stay, and we love to play with him!
Mendo and Carter made best friends very quickly and have enjoyed romping and playing with each other. Here they are in a classic play bow, excited to have made new best friends!
Even our older guests have their place at Ruff House. Lucky Dog (who boards with sister Hannah) and Pexi (who is staying with his sister, Winnie) both like to find the most comfy place in the play yard, and lay comfortably to watch all the youngins romp around! These boys have been inseparable the last couple days. What sweet dogs.

St. Bernard Mix seeking FOREVER Home!

Sadie is an almost-one-year-old St. Bernard mix. She is sweet, and playful, and needs a new home to be hers forever, as her current owner is being forced to give her up due to a bi-law at her rental.
Sadie is potty trained, and is working hard on being a well-mannered girl. She loves baths, and walks. She gets along well with other dogs, and people, though she can be timid at times.
If you can give this sweet girl a forever home, PLEASE contact us, so we can put you in contact with her current owner.

Holidays are Here.

With Thanksgiving behind us, the holiday season is only halfway through!
We look forward to having your doggies stay with us over Christmas and New Year's holidays, so get those reservations in before it's too late. We had a full house for Thanksgiving, and it's looking to be the same over Christmas.
801.765.7777

With the holiday season, we have a couple of days with different hours of operation, so please take not of the below schedule, and plan accordingly.

Friday, December 24th- CLOSED. No daycare, or boarding drop offs/ pick ups.
Saturday, December 25th- No daycare, or boarding drop offs/ pick ups.

Friday, December 31st- Daycare will run from 8am to 4pm, and lobby closes at 5pm.
Saturday, January 1st- CLOSED for daycare, or boarding drop offs/ pick ups.

It is especially helpful during this busy, busy time of year for our daycare hours to be observed. This allows us to give the very best care to our overnight boarding guests. Please have your daycare pooches picked up by 6pm Monday-Saturday, unless otherwise specified. Thank you so much!!



Call today to make your holiday reservations, so your pup doesn't miss out on all the fun! Woof!

A Time for Giving Thanks, Love, and PLAYING!

We had a full house over Thanksgiving weekend, and it was so much fun! We made lots of new friends, and got to know each one of them. The Holidays are such a special time of the year, and we are so happy to be able to share it with all of you and your wonderful pets. Check out some of these photos that captured only a few of the many wonderful moments over Thanksgiving weekend. Don't forget to check out or facebook page for lots more!
Our guests love to curl up on our comfy cozy couches and cots
Emma had so much fun at Ruff House for the very first time. She and her sister, Angel, made so many new friends and seemed to enjoy every single minute of it! We hope to see those two again soon!

Wrigley is so much fun. We love having him come stay with us, just as much as he loves playing with all his buddies.

Howard is such a sweet gentile giant.

Mac and Summer are perfect examples of what great friendships dogs can make while they're staying with us. These two were inseparable during their visits. What a cute little "couple".


With one awesome holiday weekend behind us, and fantastic memories made, we look forward to Christmas, and the New Years. We are thrilled with all the bonds we've made with our friends, new and old, and look forward to 2011!

Prepaid Passes!

Prepaid daycare passes are a great way to make doggy daycare easy and affordable! We have a few different package options, to fit everyone's needs! Whether you just want your pup to visit every now and then, or every day, we've got a deal for you.

5 Day Pass: $80 ($20 savings!)
10 Day Pass: $150 ($50 savings!)
15 Day Pass: $225 ($75 savings!)
Monthly Unlimited Pass: $250 (Up to $290 Daycare Savings, PLUS added perks!)

Our 5 day pass is an excellent way to save a little on infrequent visits. Out 10 day pass is great for semi-frequent visits, or for multiple dog families who com play every now and then. The fifteen day pass is ideal for those who come to daycare a couple times a week, but don't need all that playtime every day. None of these options expire, either!
The Monthly Unlimited pass is by far the best deal! For $250, your pup has unlimied access to daycare SIX days per week, no reservation needed! That's Monday thru Friday, 8am-6pm and Saturday 9am-6pm of fun and play all day! In addition of up to $230 in daycare savings, you also get discounted boarding rates! The usual $25/night drops all the way down to just $12/night!The Monthly Unlimited pass expires 30 days after the purchase date.

We love to see our furry friends every day, and get to know or "monthly unlimited" dogs as if they were our very own! These are just some of our furry friends who get to come play up to six days a week on their Unlimited passes!!!

Sometimes because of his size,it's tough to remember that Gus, the Cane Corso is just a puppy! He is such a happy-go-lucky boy who has LOTS of friends in daycare! We adore Gus!


Charlie, the Portuguese Water Dog, has boundless energy and love to play, play, play! He has a blast in daycare with all his friends, and we love having him!

Oh sweet Bella the Golden Retriever! She has been coming to play with all her friends on her monthly unlimited pass for quite a while. How could we resist falling in love with her?!

Shep is such a handsome boy, who likes to play with all his buddies at Ruff House, including his 'sister' Zola, the Rottie!
Zola the Rottie has been coming to Ruff House since she was just a tiny little puppy in our Saturday Puppy Socialization classes! She has so many friends in daycare, there's always someone to play with!

Recharging for More Play!

At Ruff House, our furry friends play so much upon arrival in the mornings, that by late afternoon, they generally all zonk out for a quick puppy nap to recharge for more romping and playing with their friends. This is one of our favorite times of the day, because we get to love on all the sleepy doggies, and get super cute pictures to share with everyone!

A very sleepy Jaeger takes a break from playing with his buddies. Sweet 'Lucky Dog' likes to find a comfy spot to lay a few times a day, to rest and observe all the 'youngsters' romping and playing. Such a sweet boy!
Annie LOVES to play with her friends at Ruff House five days a week, but sometimes, she needs to recharge on the comfy couch.

It's so important for puppies to learn how to communicate with other dogs, but these babies need extra rest. Ahhhh this is the life!

Raider's playtime breaks never last long, as he just loves to go, go, go!!

Salem Pet Fair 2010

Of course at Ruff House or favorite thing to do is play with all our cute furball friends, but coming in a close second is being out and about in this community that we love so much. On Saturday, Sep. 25th, we were lucky enough to take part in the Salem Pet Fair.
We met so many cute little doggies, and had so much fun telling people all about Ruff House. We hope to see some of our new friends romping and playing with us soon!!!

Two great dogs seeking forever homes!!

At Ruff House, we are lucky enough to come into contact with wonderful dogs every single day. For the most part, the dogs we see have wonderful, loving, forever homes with families who love and adore them. Every now and then, the dogs we meet aren't quite as lucky. While these dogs have loving foster homes and the excellent care of the Arctic Breed Rescue they are both in search of their forever homes and a family to call their very own. If you are interested in either of these lovely dogs, please, let us know or contact Utah's Arctic Breed Rescue directly.


Meet Kaaos
Kaaos is a 8 month old Siberian Husky. She is very playful, good with other dogs and friendly. Like any Siberian Kaaos will need a well fenced in yard and plenty of exercise. She would love to go hiking and bikejoring with anyone willing to make her part of their family. Kaaos would do best in a home without cats or small children.
Kaaos does excellent with other dogs, and loves to play. She is non aggressive, but very high energy.


Kaaos makes friends with other dogs very quickly. Here she is with one of our frequent daycare guests, Zola.
Kaaos is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL young girl, and will be a wonderful addition to the family lucky enough to have her. We hope to see this sweetheart in a home soon.



Meet Deuce
Deuce is a very friendly, playful 1.5 year old Husky. He is looking for a new home where he can spend a lot of time with his people and maybe have another dog with whom to play. He is great with other dogs. Deuce likes to go on walks and hikes and would be a great companion for anyone looking for a fun, friendly dog. Deuce would do best in a home without cats.


Deuce gets along wonderfully with all of the other dogs in daycare, but really loves people the most when he is here. He is an absolute sweetheart and communicated well with the other dogs.

Deuce is so much more than just a pretty face. He is a fantastic dog and any family would be so lucky to call him their own. He has quickly wiggled into the hearts of all the Ruff House staff, and for good reason.


Please, if you have room in your home and hearts, consider one of these wonderful dogs, or check out the list of adoptable dogs with a local rescue. Arctic Breed Rescue here in Utah has many great dogs just looking for wonderful, FOREVER homes in which to be loved and spoiled. These are just two of the many dogs across the state waiting for their special day to roll around.

THANK YOU to all of the folks volunteering their time to help these dogs in need. It is truly amazing.

We're having a Blast!!

For most, September means it's back to the grind. Time to strap down, get back to school and work, and wait for Summertime to roll around once again...But not for our Furry friends at Ruff House! Fall just means more daycare and playtime for them! We're having an absolute BLAST playing with your furkids while you're working all day, and it is our pleasure to have them!
Daycare is an excellent way to socialize your pooch, keep him from being home alone all day, and get all that energy out. Just take a look at how much fun we have together!Zailey the Great Dane puppy is a new face at Ruff House, and loves to come with her sister Annie to play with all of her new friends, we're excited to watch her grow!
Zoe, another Great Dane, has joined us recently and loves to play with all the other dogs and just loves life! She made friends with Bella, the Golden Retriever right away!


Stella had the best first day of daycare ever, just look at that smile! She was a bit timid at first, but warmed up so quickly and really adores the staff and all her new friends!


Kaaos leads the pack to the outside play yard, where our furry friends love to romp and play in the sunshine! While your pup is playing with us, he or she will always have indoor AND outdoor access, and of course, lots of love, attention, friends, and fresh, cool water!


Raider the Beagle comes to daycare a couple of times a week and has so much fun! Here he is with his buddies, Kaaos and Aspen.


We replenish the water buckets all day long, to make sure all our guests stay hydrated!

We are new friends!!

Hi I'm Bella a shepherd/lab mix. I love to play in the snow, I prefer to pull sleds and run really really fast. I like to bark when my mama is gone so I get to come to Ruff House where I have friends all day long....Yay for a dog's life!

I am Jaeger, a cream puff golden retriever. I am as kind and gentle as a ladybug, although if it came down to it I may try to eat a ladybug. I love love love coming to Ruff House and playing with my friends. I prefer the super hairy ladies but I'll play with just about everyone.

I am Artemis, you can call me 'Ari' I am a native american indian. I was rescued by Heather. My new mama works at Ruff House so I will be there almost daily. I love my new home and my new life, however if you leave the front door open I am more than happy to take off and explore my new surroundings.

My name is Gus, I am a cane corso. I am only 5 months and will get much bigger. I am excited to be the biggest of all the dogs at Ruff House. I really like to give kisses and snuggle up to peoples legs. Everyone tries to kiss my face though and sometimes I don't want to kiss people all the time. Oh well, I guess that is just what happens at this Ruff House place.

My name is Chesney, I am a spotted cocker spaniel. I'm not really a new gal but I am introducing my friend Porcha, she is a Coton and she is small and timid. I am trying to show her how this place works and what fun it is. She is really interested in me and loves to follow me around.

Puppy 4 Adoption!!

Sadie is a St. Bernard/Pyrenees is a gentle giant looking for a new home. She is still waiting to get spayed. I checked her out and her personality is very playfully passive. She is happy and loves human affection...who doesn't?...She is a large breed who doesn't need a lot of excercise. She will be happiest with a family who offers lots of love and attention and mellow walks and playtime at the park.
Please let us know if your interested in this lovely animal.
801.765.7777

Ruff House in the Community!

There is nothing better than joining an event for homeless pets with your closest furry friends and their wonderful human companions.

We are so lucky to have such lovely people who share these moments with us. Thank you all!