You are welcome to bring anything you feel comfortable leaving your dog alone in a room with. We provide a Kennel Deck for each dog, but we do recommend bringing something soft to lie on. Your dog will be more comfortable and adjust much more quickly if there is something in the room that smells like home. If your dog normally gets treats at home, please bring some of those, too! You do not need to bring bowls, unless your dog needs to use raised dishes or a slow feeder. Stainless steel dishes are provided for all of our guests. We do not allow anything that will shatter or break, or feather or down bedding of any kind. Please remember that your dog may become curious during the stay and may want to find out what's inside the bedding. For this reason, we recommend blankets, sheets, or towels, rather than expensive pet beds. These types of bedding are also easy for us to wash if your dog has an accident. We are not responsible for any damage your dog does to his or her personal belongings. We will do our best to wash any soiled items, but if your dog soils their bedding near check out time, we may return items to you soiled. We don't like to do this, but occasionally it can't be helped.

No. We have playgroups going on throughout the day, so we only allow pre-scheduled tours. This is for your safety and for the safety of our guests. We do not do tours at the time of check-in for this same reason. We do not allow dogs on the tour. You are welcome to bring your dog to meet us, but we cannot allow dogs into the yards for the tour. Again, this is for the safety of our guests.

The nightly rate includes a 5' x 15' fully-enclosed, heated and air conditioned painted concrete room with a window. Inside each room, we provide a Kennel Deck sleeping platform, as well as stainless steel food and water bowls. Also included are three ½ hour playtimes each day with other dogs of compatible temperament. The exceptions are Wednesday, Sunday, and major holidays, when there are two playgroups per day. Feedings and administration of pill medications or medications which can be put directly in the food are also included, but can ONLY be done up to twice per day.

Two dogs may share a room if and ONLY if they live in the same household (this must be confirmed by vet records) and they can eat together unsupervised. Overnighting your dogs in a shared room is at your own risk and we reserve the right to separate them if they fight over food or other resources.
Please see our Overnight page for more information.

We run on a split schedule every day to enable more of our customers to drop off when it is most convenient for them. We have found that the majority of people drop off their dogs either prior to work or travel in the morning, or after work or returning from travel in the late afternoon. Very few people tend to drop off or pick up during the middle of the day. For current customers who wish to check their dogs in or out while our office is closed, we do offer the convenience of 24/7 access for an additional fee, as available.

24/7 access enables you to pick up or drop off your dog even when our office is closed using pre-set lock access codes. This service must be prearranged, as access codes cannot be given out by phone, text, or email. We cannot offer this service to first-time customers. 24/7 access is included at no charge, as available, to our contract day care customers on their regular day care days, and for an extra charge to our overnight customers, when it is available. We have a very limited number of 24/7 rooms.

All of our fees are posted in the Our Pricing section of our website. Our facility works exactly like a hotel, with check-in during the afternoon and check-out in the morning. We do allow you to drop off in the morning or to pick up your dog in the afternoon for an additional fee. We charge extra for administering eye, ear, or bodily applied ointment, spray, or cream medications of any kind. We impose an additional $10 per day fee for any dog who is not spayed or neutered.
We charge an additional $10/night fee for dogs who can't play well with others, whether that is stated by the owner, or if we deem a dog unable to participate in our playgroups.
A no-show fee applies if you do not show up for a scheduled drop-off or pick-up and you do not call to tell us you won't be coming. A $90 late cancel fee applies to off-season reservations cancelled after 7 a.m. the day prior to your scheduled check-in. Appointment fees vary and may be imposed if you arrive late for your scheduled appointment time, while our staff is still in the office. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please note, holiday and peak travel time rates will be higher for new or infrequent boarders. We are happy to reward our loyal guests with lower rates during those times.

Doggie Spa staff cares for dogs 365 days a year! On Wednesdays and Sundays, Saturday afternoons, and on some holidays, we run on a shortened office schedule, and for some holidays, we may not offer office hours. This allows us to completely focus on the dogs, and also gives us time to spend with our own dogs and our human families and friends.
We offer the 24/7 access option for customers who have boarded with us before, as available.

We get hundreds of requests for reservations during our busy holiday times each year. For this reason, we give priority pricing to those customers who have boarded with us throughout the year. It's our way of showing our customers that we appreciate their loyalty.

Yes. However, you may also pay for the minimum, but pick your dog up sooner. Minimums for upcoming holidays can be found on the main page of our website.
The basic minimums are as follows, but are subject to change:
Day Care: There is always a two day per week minimum, year-round.
Overnight: Off-Season: Two night minimum on weekends only (Fri., Sat., Sun.). Summer (after the last day of school): Four night minimum. Major Holidays: Usually four or five night minimum, depending on holiday. Please remember that these minimums do vary, and that holidays take precedence over season. For example, during the 4th of July holiday time, the minimum will be longer than the four-day summer minimum.

We feed Costco’s Kirkland Brand Premium Food here, but you are more than welcome to bring your dog's own food. We do not provide canned food or treats. If your dog has a sensitive stomach or is on a special diet, please bring your own food. Please make sure to bring enough food for a few days longer than the scheduled stay. Remember, many things could affect your travel plans, and we want your dog to be comfortable and happy, regardless of unforeseen delays. Please do not bring glass or ceramic containers.

Absolutely! You're welcome to bring whatever your dog normally eats at home, as long as it does not have to be heated or cooked. We have refrigerators in every building. Please DO NOT bring anything your dog is not used to! Remember, we want him/her to enjoy the stay, and a tummy ache could spoil an otherwise great time.

Please note:

State law requires that you bring the original pharmacy containers with your pet's prescription medications. You will be required to write out and sign medication administration instructions upon check-in.

Pill and chewable medications and supplements must be arranged in a pill box by AM/PM dosage.

We can administer pill medications or medicines that can be put in your dog's food at no extra charge. Please be aware that we cannot give medications more than twice per day, and exact 12-hour intervals are not possible. Please make sure that you pre-cut or split any pills that must be split, as we are not able to do this for you. If you normally give your dog medication hidden in cheese, hot dogs, or any other "extra" treat, please bring those items as well. There is an additional charge for any medications that need to be applied to any part of your dog, including eyes and ears, or via injection.

For both overnight and day care, we require proof of Rabies, Distemper, and Bordetella (also known as kennel cough) vaccines to be emailed to us at least 24 hours prior to your arrival. We CANNOT accept hand-carried vaccinations or rabies tags as proof of vaccination. Bordetella must have been given within six months of the scheduled stay, unless your own vet records state the Bordetella vaccination is good for one year.
In that case, we will accept that.
Please call your vet and have him or her email shot records to info@doggiespa.com. You are also welcome to email them yourself, as long as your copy shows the expiration date for each vaccination. This is often found in the Reminders section of your vet invoice.

The Bordetella vaccine generally expires six months from the date given. A very small number of vets in the area do give this vaccine for one year, and if that is what your dog's vet says, we will accept that. We go by the expiration date on your dog's veterinary records.

In some instances, a deposit is required to hold your reservation. We require deposits for all holiday and peak-time bookings as well as for all first time customers. This enables us to keep frivolous bookings to a minimum, leaving the space available for those who really need it. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. This means that if you cancel or shorten your stay, your deposit will be forfeited. Deposits cannot be transferred to a future stay or to a different dog.

If your travel time is shortened, you are responsible for payment for all time booked. If your travel is extended, please email, text, or call us as soon as you know. It's possible that we will have to transfer your dog to a day care room during this time, which is a bit smaller (but still very roomy - 5'x10'), but only if it is extremely busy here. Please be aware that if your plans change and you do not call us to let us know, our computer system will apply no-show fees to your account. These fees can add up quickly, but they can be avoided with a simple phone call, text, or email. Of course, in the event of widespread weather or travel stoppages, we will do our best to make things easier for you by keeping your dog safe, well cared-for, and happy. During these sorts of events, we try to be flexible.

For off-season, non-deposited reservations, you must cancel by no later than 7 a.m. the day prior to your scheduled check-in. You're welcome to email, text, or call us to notify us of your change of plans.
All deposited or peak-time reservations are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Doggie Spa's buildings are very well constructed. The concrete block buildings are a safe place for your dog in any weather. Our on-site management, plus our nearby staff with 4wd vehicles ensure that your dog will still be cared for, even if the weather would prevent safe passage on area roadways. Our buildings have outdoor awnings that cover portions of each play yard to provide shade and protection from the elements for our guests. Playgroups may be shortened for extreme temperatures or delayed if severe weather is imminent. In the case of a power outage, Doggie Spa will be fully run on our whole facility generator. This means that your dog will stay cozy and comfortable even if we have no power at our homes.

If your vet is local and open, we will taxi your dog to your vet. For after-hour emergencies, we would take your dog to one of the local emergency vet clinics. Taxi fees, generally $17 to $20 trip, apply.

This is probably the most asked question here at Doggie Spa! Since our play yards are neutral ground and no leashes are used, most dogs get along with others very well here. They are neither protecting their families nor their turf. Dogs display very clear signals prior to acting in an aggressive manner. Our staff is very experienced and we watch and listen for these signals to prevent conflicts in the play yards. In the rare instance that we find a dog is not getting along well with other dogs in the group, we will move the dog to another group. If all else fails, we can put the dog out alone. No dog is deprived of time outside, regardless of social skills! As far as knowing who to place where, it's just something we've learned along the way. It’s like an extra sense you develop from working with dogs. Please note: If your dog requires solo playtime, an extra charge of $10/night will apply. This "Private Time" status is completely at the discretion of Doggie Spa staff, for the safety of all the dogs and of our staff.

We do board dogs who don't get along with other dogs or may require a solo playgroup, for an additional $10 nightly fee. If your dog has had rare instances of biting people, we may still be able to accommodate your dog. However, if your dog is known to attack people, or to bite with no warning, we cannot board your dog. Our facility is very hands-on, and we cannot risk the safety of our staff. Please feel free to call or email us to discuss your dog's situation. We are always happy to consider this on a case-by-case basis.

Most dogs aren't accustomed to an hour and a half of play with other dogs each day. Some dogs play very hard, and most go home quite tired, even if they don't play very hard. Just as you might get sore from a sudden increase in exercise, your dog might, too. If limping persists or if it seems as if something is wrong, please contact your vet. Rest assured that we will tell you if your dog had any social problems during the stay.

We've thought of that, too! That's why each room has separate drainage. If your dog potties in the room, rest assured that it will be cleaned up as soon as we find it. The rooms are inspected and cleaned up several times each day. If your dog soils his bedding and it's washable, we will make every attempt to wash it free of charge. If the bedding is too large for our washing machine, we may simply bag it up. Occasionally, dogs do have accidents shortly before checking out, preventing us from washing the bedding before departure. We hate when this happens, but sometimes, it's unavoidable.

Of course! Our guests don't have phones in their rooms, and we may not always be able to get good photos, but we would be glad to tell you how they are doing. Send us an email - info@doggiespa.com or text us at 919-932-4738 - and we'll let you know how they're doing.

Doggie Spa is a leash-free zone, and collars are optional. We prefer that your dog wears whatever they would normally wear at home. If your dog is a collar-free dog around the house, they should have a collar-free vacation, as well. Comfort is a high priority for your dog's Doggie Spa vacation.

Our pea gravel play yards not only cut down on mud and grass stains, but also do not provide homes for fleas and ticks. It's also much easier to keep pea gravel yards clean than grass yards. Additionally, we are keeping our planet healthier by not using manufactured plastic turf, which must be replaced over time and can be painful on dogs' feet.