uation had changed and he was no longer able to care for the puppies, and would have no choice but to take them to a shelter. We agreed to take these boys in.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Do you have room in your heart for this puppy?
uation had changed and he was no longer able to care for the puppies, and would have no choice but to take them to a shelter. We agreed to take these boys in.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Let's Talk About Kennel Cough
With Kennel Cough season upon us, it's important that you understand this small risk of having your dog around other pets. While the pros of socializing your pet far outweigh whatever risk Kennel Cough might pose, it's important to us that all our doggy parents understand this basic illness.
What is Kennel Cough, anyway?
Kennel Cough is very much like the common cold for humans. While there is a vaccine for Kennel Cough, which we require all our canine guests to be up-to-date on, it is rather ineffective at fully preventing infection, but might help.
What are the symptoms of kennel cough?
The most obvious symptom of kennel cough is a dry, hacking cough.Some dogs experience a decrease in energy and/or appetite as well.
How might my dog get kennel cough?
Kennel Cough, like the common cold, is very contagious. Your dog might get it by direct contact with an infected dog, contact with an infected item, or by breathing it in airborne. Very young puppies, senior dogs, or dogs with an otherwise compromised immune system are more likely to show symptoms. The more dogs are exposed to other dogs, the more their immune system has a chance of building a defense against illness. It is generally the young, the old, and the underexposed that we see show symptoms. There is absolutely no way to socialize your pet with zero rick of kennel cough.
What do I do if my dog gets kennel cough?
If your dog is showing the symptoms of kennel cough, the best idea is usually to let it run its course. Within a week, most dogs are on the mend and good as new. Very seldom, and typically in very young or very old dogs, Kennel cough can advance to a respiratory infection which vets may prescribe antibiotics for. In either case, it's important they drink plenty of fresh water, and are kept in a warm, comfortable place. We always recommend using a natural supplement with immune-system boosting qualities any time dogs might be ill such as Goldenseal/ Echinacia or even Vitamin C.
What Does Ruff House do to prevent my dog from getting Kennel Cough in their care?
There is no way to completely prevent a dog from getting kennel cough unless he is never allowed to leave the house, and visitors are never allowed over. Kennel Cough is airborne. It is contagious. That being said, we take many preventative measures to help prevent the spread of illness in our facility.
1. Our facility is cleaned top to bottom all day long. This includes the outdoor doggy turf, the floors, walls, kennels, and furniture. We also wash our toys on a regular basis.
2. We require all our guests to be appropriately vaccinated.
3. We never allow any dogs showing any signs of illness to join us.
4. Should a dog show any symptoms while in our care, they are immediately isolated, and someone is contacted to come pick the dog up. If no one is available to do so, the dog is transported to the vet.
5. Any urine or fecal matter is cleaned up immediately.
6. We use food grade peroxide in our water bowls to cleanse the water and help prevent spread of illness that way.
7. Food bowls are washed between every use.
8. Kennels are deep cleaned between boarding guests, and throughout the week.
Despite all these precautions, it is simply impossible to completely prevent all dogs from getting kennel cough, especially this time of year. Just like kids will bring a cold home from school at some point, most dogs that are properly socialized will at some point catch a cold. We do ask that if your dog ever goes home and shows signs of kennel cough that you alert us immediately so that we can we on extra close watch, and inform our guests whom are more apt to get it such as young puppies or senior dogs.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Meet Murphy
As a continuation of our "Meet the Staff" series, we found it appropriate to introduce a certain little Cocker Spaniel, too. So, meet Murphy!
If your dog has been to Ruff House, they have undoubtedly met Murphy. He's a senior Cocker Spaniel that has lived at our facility for the last year. We're not sure exactly how old he is, he's a rescue out of San Diego. He came to join us last year when Linsey, one of Ruff House's two owners, rescued him several years after meeting him quite a few years ago. The original plan was for Murphy to go live with her once she was finished moving, but Murphy had other ideas. He made Ruff House his home, where he is very content and undoubtedly happy. The attempt to move him to a new environment was unsuccessful, and too overwhelming for this sweet old man.
Murphy is loved and doted on every day by the wonderful staff members at Ruff House. He is happy and wiggly every morning, and loves afternoon snoozes on the couch while he gets massaged by the staff.
Murphy sports several different haircuts, and we get a lot of questions about why we let his hair cover his eyes. The simple answer: Murphy is 100% blind, and has been for most of his life. We had one eye removed that became infected repeatedly his entire life. The open floor plan of our facility suits his needs perfectly. We keep the water bowls and furniture in the same place every day to make life as easy as possible for him. He gets around just fine.
He gets along with dogs big and small. One day he might be keeping a scared little Yorkie company, and the next he's running with a pack of Great Danes and Goldens in the big dog yard.
So, next time you're in for Puppy Social, or Yappy Hour, be sure to say "Hello" to Mr. Murphy- Ruff House's own resident.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Introducing the Warm Up To Daycare Package!
5 Day Pass: $90 ($10 savings)10 Day Pass: $160 ($40 savings)15 Day Pass: $225 ($75 savings)Monthly Unlimited Pass: $275 Up to $265 savings on daycare alone, PLUS an additional 15 minutes of daycare per day, additional discounts on boarding, and late boarding pickup fees waived
3 Full Days $36.00 ($24 savings!)3 Half Days $27.00 ($18 savings!)
Payment Methods & Business Hours
As we approach the chaotic, but oh so fun Holiday season, we get questions about everything! We love helping pet owners make great decisions for their individual pets, so most of our frequently asked questions simply do not have a one size fits all answer. Even our daily procedures get tweaked based on our unique play group that day. But, one of the few things that is the same across the board are payment times, acceptable methods, and our business hours.
Business Hours
We are open Monday through Friday from 7:30am until 7pm. Daycare services end at 6pm.
On Saturday, we open at 9am and close at 7pm. Daycare services end at 6pm.
Sundays we are open for SCHEDULED boarding pick up and drop offs only.
On most major holidays we are closed for all services, and on some h
olidays we have modified business hours closing at 5pm, with daycare ending at 4pm. The best way to keep up with what these days are is to receive our monthly newsletter, full of coupons, special offers, and a calendar of our special events and adjusted business hours.
Payment Options
We accept cash, debit cards, and all major credit cards. We no longer accept personal checks as payment for any services rendered, or products purchased.
DAYCARE payment can be made either at drop off or pickup. If you wish to purchase a pass, payment for that pass is due on the first day of daycare that is applied to the pass. Once a daycare pass has been used, they will not be returned or credited in any way.
BOARDING payment is due at the time you drop off your pet. If you pick up your pet early, a credit will be applied to your account. If your plans change, and we can accommodate your pet for additional nights beyond your original reservation, additional charges will be put on the credit card on file, unless other arrangements have been agreed upon. If you will not be dropping off or picking up your pet, payment can be made prior to the stay, or made over the phone.
We do NOT issue refunds after boarding payment has been collected for any reason.
GROOMING payment is due at the time of pickup. The reason for this is that while we rarely include additional fees, excess matting or aggressive behavior requiring an additional set of hands for handling may not be evident at the time of drop off. At drop off, you may request an estimate quote, which will be within $10 of your total charge.
RETAIL payment is due at the time a product is purchased.
TRAINING classes require a non-refundable deposit which is due at the time of reserving your pet's spot in the class. If you wish to surrender your dog's place in the reserved class, you may use your deposit towards the next training class scheduled. Full payment is due upon the first class.
Credits
If you are overcharged as an error on our part, a refund will be issued in a speedy fashion.
Any remaining balance for unused boarding nights will remain on your account for on year's time. These credits can be applied to any products or services we offer at any time during that year, with no restrictions.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
November Happenings!
There's so much happening at Ruff House in the next two months, and if you're not signed up for our monthly newsletter, you're missing out on all the super awesome deals and news! If you haven't been getting it already, and you'd like in on all the discounts and freebies, email us at utahruffhouse@yahoo.com!
Meet Linsey!
How Long Have You Worked at Ruff House?