Frequently Asked QuestionsThere are so many things to consider when selecting a holiday destination for your four legged friend.
Here are some questions from previous guests and their humans. If the answer to your question isn’t addressed please call us on (03)5978 5831 or click here to email us your inquiry What time can we drop off our dog?
Holiday Boarding Guests - Should arrive anytime during our office hours – 9am to 3pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Saturdays between 9am and 11.30am and Sundays between 1pm and 3.30pm. If this is your first time with us we encourage you to arrive at least 30 minutes before our office closing time so all the appropriate paperwork can be completed and we can answer any of your questions. On weekdays and Sundays we do encourage you to drop off your dog before 3pm so they have a chance to get accustomed to their surroundings and the Doggy Doater’s before the evening settling period. What time can we pick up our dog?
Holiday Boarding Guests - Can depart anytime during office hours however we do like the dogs to depart before 2.30pm on the days we close at 3pm, by 11.45am on Saturdays when we close at 12noon and by 3.45pm on Sundays when we close at 4pm. On public holidays we do have altered office hours so please check our calendar for hours on those days. What are the accommodations like?
All guests have an inside sleeping quarters and access to an outside undercover play area. There are also larger play areas that our guests have access to throughout the day. All our suites sound proofed, insulated and have reverse cycle heating and cooling making them warm in winter and cool in summer. There are also grassed play areas, covered with shade sails for play or relaxation in larger spaces during the fine weather days.
To have better look come visit us to take a tour or take our online tour: I have an old dog who is still quite active – when do they become a Golden Oldie?
This is a great question and it varies for so many dogs. Generally 8 – 10 years can be when a dog starts to slow down. Now the size, breed and temperament needs to be considered. Giant breed dogs like Great Danes and Saint Bernard’s can be considered Golden Oldies at the age of 6 and yet a Chihuahua or a Maltese Terrier might get to 14 or so before their age starts to present issues. At We Love Dogs our goal is to meet the individual needs of our guests and so we will talk to you about your dog and let you know if they are in their golden years. It can also help us to let you know if We Love Dogs is best for your dog or Dogs Country Club is the better option at this time in their life. I think my dog is special needs – what do you classify as special needs?
With our goal of meeting all our guests individual needs, special needs is best determined once we have a chat with you about your dog and what you do for them on a daily basis to make their life comfortable at home. Some of the special needs we cater for are medication programs (basic through to considerable), physical assistance and emotional support. We would be more than happy to chat with you about how we can make your dog’s holiday a comfortable one, just give us a call. What is the post-operative care that you offer?
Has your dog recently (or is scheduled to) have a surgery or Vet treatment? Are you unsure if you have the time or capacity to care for them once they no longer need to be at the Vet? Once your dog is able to leave the Vet, if you are unable to provide them with the support they need to continue their recovery successfully, then we are here to help you. We have cared for many dogs after a range of surgeries including TPLO’s, GDV’s, and other surgical procedures. We can help start their recovering in a controlled and supervised environment 24 hours a day for as long as you need. For more information then please see our flier or give us a call on 03 5978 5831. We can liaise with yourself and your Vet through the whole process and also transport your dog to and from the Vet for check-ups as required. I read that you provide palliative care for guests, what does that look like?
We don’t always get to choose when we have to travel. If your dog is at the very end stage of their lives you of course want to be there for them but what happens if you have to be away from them. We understand the difficulty that comes with leaving your dog at the end stages of their life and we are here to help you with that. All the things you do for your dog at home we can provide to them in a safe and loving environment. If you do need this kind of support or would just like to understand how we support our clients with this service just in case you need it in the future then please give us a call, we would be happy to have this conversation with you. Will my dog get to play with other dogs while on holidays?
All of our guests have the choice of playing / relaxing with a compatible friend while at We Love Dogs. On checking in we will ask if you would like your dog to have a compatible mate. If this is something you are happy with and agree to then your dog will be matched with a potential compatible mate. Matching of compatible dogs is done under close supervision by our trained Doggy Doater’s. If there is not a compatible mate while here then they will play with the Doggy Doater’s during the day. If you have more than one dog and you would like them to holiday together then just let us know and we would be happy to house them together, we have family sized suites across the property. Any dogs who are housed together and decide they would rather be separate, will be provided with their own rooms. All of our guests health and safety is of prime importance. When you get home we will let you know who your dog made friends with. My little dog is very scared of big dogs – will he/she be with big dogs on her holiday?
We Love Dogs Kennel Resort has been designed specifically for small and medium sized dogs. The large dogs that do stay with us are geriatric dogs (Golden Oldies) who have very separate accommodations. We welcome you to come and visit us and we would be happy to show you all of our accommodations. I have a big dog that doesn't like small dogs, will he/she be okay at We Love Dogs?
We Love Dogs Kennel Resort has been designed for small and medium sized active dogs and geriatric dogs of all sizes and breeds. If you have a large dog that fits into our Golden Oldies care classification then they will be with other large geriatric dogs – lounging about together and having a lovely relaxing holiday. We are more than happy to show you all our accommodations and encourage you to come for a visit and take a tour during our tour times. My dog likes people more than dogs – will he/she have lots of contact with people at We Love Dogs?
Our Doggy Doater’s love what they do and they are great at it. From 7am through to 6pm every day of the year they attend to our guests needs. As well as cleaning, feeding and bathing our guests, play is a big part of our Doggy Doater’s daily routine. Play times and cuddles are all part of the daily holiday schedule at We Love Dogs Kennel Resort. My dog has special needs. Are you able to accommodate those needs?
We can accommodate dogs who have special needs both at We Love Dogs and at Dogs Country Club & Kennel Resorts. We cater to all dogs including those with diabetes, dementia, arthritis and other physical impairments. We believe that the quality of life for these beloved animals is all about how they are treated, both at home and while on holiday. Our goal is to give your special needs dog all the care and attention they require to keep them comfortable and happy while they are away from home. We are experienced with administration of medication including insulin injections for our diabetic friends. We are happy to speak to you more about your dog’s needs and how we can accommodate them and which of our Resorts they would be better suited to. What types of meals do you feed the dogs and how often?
A comprehensive list of the We Love Dogs menu can be found on our Smorgasbord by clicking here. We like to feed as near to what our guests are used to in their own home so on checking in we will ask you when you normally feed your dog and what types of foods you usually feed them. We stock premium dry foods, quality cooked pet loaves and we cook fresh meals daily. We also have raw foods for those on raw food diets. Due to the nature of our environment we do not have bones (we don’t want any fights on our hands). All the dogs are fed separately – even those from the same family – to ensure that they all get their own fair share. If your dog is on a special diet you are more than welcome to bring this along. We do not provide discounts if you provide your own food but we also do not charge any extra. Should your dog be on prescription food then you are required to bring this with you. Should we require more of this prescription or specialised food while with us we will purchase this and add it to your invoice to ensure that your dog maintains their special diet. If you have any questions then we would be more than happy to speak to you about it. How much does it cost for our dog to stay at We Love Dogs Kennel Resort?
The rate you will be charged for your dog’s stay is dependent on the age and size of your dog, the time of the year, the accommodation you would like and the length of stay. We encourage you to come visit or call us and we can provide you with the rates for your specific dog and the times you plan to be away. We do have a peak and off peak period – the peak periods are noted on our calendar, which you can download in our Knowledge centre. The Peak Periods are school holidays and public holiday weekends. All of our rates include all the food, bedding, playtimes, cuddles, GST and a complimentary bath on departure. The only additional charges are for medication administration, advanced grooming requirements and if your dog requires Vet assistance during their stay. I have taken my dog to other kennels before and we had to pay an additional charge for bathing – do you charge extra for bathing?
All guests of Dogs Country Club receive a complementary bath on departure. When you check your dog in we will ask the time you intend on picking up your dog – we do this so we can bath the dogs in order of their planned departure. If you intend on picking up your dog earlier then we ask that you give us 24 hours’ notice. We like all our guests to greet their families smelling lovely – if you do pick up your dog before the scheduled time we do not guarantee your pampered pal will have had his/her bath. We thank you for your assistance with this in advance. I notice you are closed on Wednesdays and some days across the holidays – who is looking after the dogs on these days?
All the Doggy Doaters are attending to the guests every day of the year. We do close the office every Wednesday, which allows us to pick up supplies and do all those other things that we need to get done. During the very busy times we do close some of the days in the middle of the busy periods to create some stability for the guests. If you can imagine when we are full if we had guests arriving and departing every day this can be quite unsettling for all of our guests. It also helps our team to handle all the guests more efficiently, which is critical during the very busiest of times. What type of vaccinations does my dog need to have to stay at We Love Dogs?
As per the Victorian Boarding Code all dogs that are admitted for boarding must have a current C5 vaccination. The current certificate must be presented on checking in. If you are unable to find your vaccination certificates then you can call your Vet Clinic and they can print out a copy of the certificate for you. You can also request them to send your dogs vaccination records directly to us at [email protected] Vaccination certificates can be difficult to read – if you have any questions then please call us for assistance. Please note that presently the C5 vaccination is an annual vaccination. Should your dog not have a vaccination due to medical reasons then please supply a letter from your Vet with this information for your dogs client file with us. My dog has been in kennels before and always seems to lose weight – can you do anything about this?
At We Love Dogs we understand that a dog’s weight can fluctuate for many reasons when they are away from home. The most common reason for weight loss is the increased activity your dog will experience while on his/her holiday. At We Love Dogs we like to keep a close check on this and as such we weigh each guest on arrival and departure. For certain breeds or temperaments of dogs we will also weigh them during their stay to monitor their progress. We also care for dogs with medical issues and these dogs weight may also fluctuate due to medications or changes in their medical status. When you check out your dog we go over the weights with you and we can alter their feeding regiment when they are next on holidays. Weight gain can also be an issue due to a change in diet – this again will be discussed and modified for their next stay. If you would like more information on weight loss and gain in canines then please check out our information flier by clicking here My dog came home with a cough when they last visited a kennel – can you stop this from happening?
Canine Cough is an airborne virus, so while we can do everything we can to have a clean environment for our guests (and we do) asking us to stop canine cough is like asking a childcare center or school to stop their students from getting snotty noses. There are many things that help our dogs to reduce the impact of Canine Cough should they come into contact with it. As a pet parent it’s important to get educated about this very important canine health issue. We encourage you to read our Canine Cough information flier and feel free to ask any of our team any questions you may have once reading this information. |
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