Daycare Weekday hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Daycare Weekend hours: CLOSED
IMPORTANT HEALTH & SAFETY NOTICE
Dogs with contagious illnesses or parasites are not allowed at the Dog Scoop. We are happy to provide care for injured dogs or those with special medical or health needs when applicable, but for the safety and health of other dogs at the Scoop, we cannot accommodate dogs with contagious disease or parasites.
Common illnesses and parasites include, but are not limited to: bordatella (kennel cough), conjunctivitus, and intestinal parasites/worms. Symptoms of illness can include: coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, discharge from the eyes, nose, mouth, and/or visible parasites in the stool.
If a dog shows signs of illness while in our care, we will isolate them from the other dogs and the owner will be asked to bring him to the vet for a check up. The dog is welcome to come back to the Scoop only after the vet declares he or she healthy.
If a dog arrives at the Scoop showing signs of an illness, or if a dog is actively being treated for a contagious illness or parasites, the dog is not allowed to stay at the Scoop. This is for the comfort, health, and safety of your dog and the other dogs at the Scoop. Please call our office at 617-244-8944 for more information about this policy.
NEW CLIENT INFORMATION
On your first day, please bring your dog to the Scoop early in the morning between 7:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Arriving early gives your dog the opportunity to acclimate to the daycare environment before the rest of the pack arrives. This will also afford your dog the opportunity to greet our pack one dog at a time, as well as allow our staff the best opportunity to assess your dogs social skills. Please note that clients are not permitted in the daycare.
CLIENTS
Client Drop Off: To drop off your dog for daycare Monday – Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., please walk only halfway down the driveway so our staff can see you and come get your dog. We ask clients not to come all the way down to the gate because this could startle the dogs in the daycare. After 10:00 a.m., please bring your dog to the main office. For Saturday drop off any time during the day, please go to the main office.
Client Pick Up: To pick up your dog from daycare at any time during the day, Monday – Friday, please go to the main office. Depending on the time of day, your dog will either be brought through an interior door or up the driveway. If you would prefer to meet your dog outside in the driveway, or if your dog is unable to climb stairs, just let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your dog’s needs. Please do not come down the driveway to pick up your dog, as the staff may not be able to assist you right away.
Closing Time/Emergency Boarding: The Dog Scoop closes at 7:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. If your dog has not been picked up by closing time and you have not made prior arrangements, your dog will be enrolled in emergency boarding and will stay at our boarding facility overnight. You will be charged a late fee of $50 in addition to the regular daycare fee, and you may pick up your dog the following day during regular business hours (Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Saturday- Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m). Please note: due to zoning regulations, we are unable to accommodate after-hours pick up.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Please do not knock on the gate, look over the fence, or call from the driveway for daycare assistance. Do not open the gate or enter the daycare area. The safety of the pack depends on a consistent routine and pack leaders, and sudden noises or the appearance of strangers can disrupt the pack. For the safety and comfort of your dog and the other dogs in the pack, please wait in the driveway or go to the office for immediate assistance.
CLIENT PARKING
Please park in the large lot between our two buildings, 210 and 216 Webster Street. Please do not park in the driveway, as this causes a safety problem for both dogs and people. Out of courtesy to our neighbors, please do not park in any other driveways or lots, or on the street.
AGE, HEALTH, and VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS
Dogs aged 5 – 6 months and up will spend the day in our indoor-outdoor daycare facility. We welcome dogs of varying temperaments and activity levels. We will work with your dog to help he or she adjust to the daycare setting. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the pack, we require that all dogs are spayed/neutered, as these dogs tend to acclimate the best to the pack environment.
We require all dogs to be up-to-date on their rabies, distemper, and bordatella (kennel cough) vaccines. We also recommend the canine influenza vaccine, but it is not required. We recommend that all dogs use Frontline, Advantix, or a similar flea- and parasite-control product, but please do not apply these products on the day your dog attends daycare, as doing so could be unsafe for the staff and the other dogs. We will ask for a copy of your dog’s vaccination records on your first day. Please provide us with updated records as the old ones expire.
Please let us know if your dog has any health issues that would impact his or her stay in our daycare. Examples include: injuries, recent surgery/stitches, skin conditions, illness, history of seizures, allergies, etc. We will do our best to accommodate any special health needs your dog may have.
Please do not bring your dog to daycare if he or she is showing signs of illness. Symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, coughing, or discharge from the eyes or nose may indicate an illness that could be contagious to other dogs. If your dog shows signs of illness while at daycare, we will remove him or her from the pack to a quiet area, and then alert you or your emergency contact.
Your dog’s health and safety at our daycare is of the utmost important to us. In the course of playtime with other dogs throughout the day, minor injuries such as scrapes or bumps may occur. In the event that your dog becomes sick or injured during the day, our staff will assist him or her immediately to ensure his or her safety. We will then contact you, or your emergency contact, to alert you of the situation.
BEHAVIOR REQUIREMENTS
At The Dog Scoop, our pack is made up of many different types of dogs. The majority of dogs that come to daycare are playful, happy, and friendly, and we also welcome shy or nervous dogs, as long as they are able to acclimate to the pack during their introductory period. Every dog is given a chance to adjust to the pack, and our trained staff will be able to determine if your dog will be a happy member of our pack.
We do not allow aggressive or dangerous dogs. We do not allow aggressive play, excessive barking, or dominant behavior. Our staff works diligently to maintain a calm energy in the pack. We understand that many dogs may be over-excited on their first day, and we will work with your dog to teach he or she our rules. Many clients have noted that their dogs’ behavioral problems at home are eased after experiencing the calm energy of our pack at The Dog Scoop.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
We request that your dog come to daycare with a leash, a well-fitted collar (with a flat buckle) or harness, and ID tags. This will enable us to easily bring your dog in and out of the daycare. Pinch and chain collars are allowed, but we will remove them in the daycare setting for safety reasons.
The Dog Scoop is an indoor-outdoor facility; your dog will have the freedom to play inside and outside throughout the year. During inclement weather, we encourage our clients to provide coats for their dogs so the dogs may enjoy the outdoors in all types of weather. We suggest that you not send a fancy or valuable coat to daycare with your dog, as the coat might become damaged or soiled during play in the course of the day.
If your dog requires feeding during the day, please bring the food in a container labeled with your dog’s name and feeding instructions. We are also able to administer most medications throughout the day. Please call us for details.
If you need to walk your dog at The Dog Scoop, please use the grassy areas in our parking lot and in front of the building. Please do not walk your dog in our neighbors’ yards. Webster Street is a public street, and we ask that all clients clean up after their dogs. As the saying goes, “If your dog poops, you scoop!” Thank you for helping to keep our neighborhood clean! Waste bags are available in our office for your convenience.