Dear Dog Owner, Thank you for considering House of Hounds to provide daytime exercise, companionship and love for your best friend! On this web page you will find the client packet which includes an Enrollment Application so we can learn all about you and your pet, House of Hounds Client agreement, and information regarding our policies, rates, and the realities of cage-free daycare and boarding for dogs. Please take the time to thoroughly read through this information and to complete the Enrollment Form and Client Agreement. The details you provide are extensive and will help us to better understand the individual needs of your dog. Once you have completed all forms, we will contact you to schedule an evaluation with your dog. This form must be completed in its entirety before your appointment. This includes submitting your dog’s medical information which includes their updated vaccination records. These can be dropped off at your chosen House of Hounds location or emailed to us at houseofhounds25143@gmail.com or HOHCharleston@gmail.com As part of the evaluation process, once your submitted documentation is reviewed, your dog will be introduced into our daycare group starting with a limited number of dogs. We need to see how comfortable, or uncomfortable, your dog is with multiple dogs in our setting. If your dog is doing well, we will continue to introduce more of the pack until he or she has met everyone. Since this is an important process to your dog being accepted into the daycare program, we ask that you not schedule your meet and greet on a day that your dog has had a veterinary appointment or prior grooming. Please keep in mind that your dog must do well on their trial day with us to stay for the day and/or return for future visits. This is at the discretion of House of Hounds’ Pack leaders; your dog must interact well with others in the daycare group, as well as with staff. Some dogs do very well their first day, others sometimes must repeat their trial day once, or even multiple times, before they become comfortable and confident in our daycare. We want your dog to have a pleasant experience with us, and safety is of our utmost concern for your dog as well as other dogs among the group. Thank you for considering House of Hounds. We look forward to meeting you and your dog! Medical and Behavioral Requirements All dogs must meet the following criteria to be accepted into House of Hounds Doggy Daycare: - 4 months of age or older
- Spayed or neutered if over 6 months of age
- Annual physical exam
- Current on all vaccinations
- DA2PP (Distemper/Parvo combo) – Required at least once every 3 years with puppies receiving a booster one year after 1st series.
- Rabies – Required every 3 years. Puppies under one year old must receive a booster one year after 1st vaccination.
- Bordetella (Kennel Cough) – Administered every 6 months or yearly, depending on method of administration and at the discretion of your veterinarian.
- H3N8/H3N2 Canine Influenza – Booster 3 weeks following initial first dose, then becomes a yearly vaccine (if available at your vet).
- Flea preventative must be administered year-round, i.e. Frontline, Advantage, Revolution or Seresto flea collars (For safety reasons, flea collars must be removed and kept by the owner during your dog’s visit.)
- Successfully complete a trial day in the dog daycare group. (Some dogs may require multiple trial days before being accepted into our daycare program. Each dog is different, with some being more social and outgoing than others. Etiquette is also an important factor)
It is our goal to make your dog’s visit enjoyable while visiting House of Hounds by providing exercise, socialization, companionship, and love. To help ensure both the health and safety of your pet, the above requirements are strictly enforced.
Evaluation Checklist During your dog’s evaluation, House of Hounds staff will start by introducing your dog on leash to several, calmer members of our pack. If your dog seems comfortable, we will continue to introduce more dogs until your dog has met the entire pack. During the evaluation, the pack leader will observe your dog closely during the four-hour period to make sure that our cage-free environment is a good fit for him. Unfortunately, not all dogs do well in an environment such as ours. We want to ensure that he or she is comfortable and happy during their time with us. Below you will find some of the things our staff looks for during the temperament test: - How does your dog enter our lobby? He or she must enter the building willingly and be sociable in our lobby with other clients and dogs; We will not take your dog into the pack if growling or snapping.
- How does your dog respond to other dogs coming up to say hello? Is he comfortable with his tail up and wagging? Is he submissive or unsure? Your dog must be comfortable with other dogs approaching him, sniffing him, and trying to initiate play.
- House of Hounds staff must be able to interact with your dog. We must be able to put a leash on and lead them, touch their collar, pet them, and touch them while looking them over. If your dog will not respond or come when called, we have to be able to approach them without them running or thinking it’s a game of chase!
- Is he comfortable in the house as well as outside? Some dogs do great while outside in our play yard but become unsure and stressed once inside in a new environment. Or, they will just refuse to come inside at all! We must be able to get them to come inside our house and to be able to guide them where we need them to go.
- Overall general comfort. Is your dog pacing, obsessing over our gates, doors, or fencing, or looking for a way out? Does he hide? Is he drooling excessively? Is he comfortable around the other dogs? While playing with other dogs is not a requirement, we want your dog to be happy and comfortable while visiting us.
- Doggy etiquette is especially important! While we encourage play, excessive roughhousing, i.e. biting, pinning, running laps, and mounting the other dogs is not acceptable behavior in a dog daycare environment.
- Should your dog become overly excited, are we able to correct him?
- While in our care, does your dog relax? Will he lay down or drink water? It is important for your dog’s overall health that he be able to relax at House of Hounds just as he would at home.
House of Hounds Policies/Ruff Rules *No appointment is needed for our daycare program, just simply drop your pup off before 11:00 am. Drop off after 11:00 am is a 5-hour penalty off your package or a $15 late charge. *Once your pup becomes a client, we require they visit daycare at least once every two (2) weeks or your dog will need to be re-evaluated and attend one day of daycare BEFORE boarding (minimum 4 hours). The evaluation and day of daycare must be two separate visits and cannot be done in the same day. We recommend a minimum of once a week to keep them socialized and familiar with their friends. All dogs must complete an evaluation and one day of daycare (four hours minimum) before boarding. * If your dog is six months old or older, he or she must be neutered or spayed. *Your dog must have a collar on for safety purposes with an attached tag bearing their name and your telephone number. (No martingales, chokers, or prong collars are permitted during their stay) *If your dog is going to be here for more than eight hours, feel free to pack a dinner! We feed dinner at 5:00 pm. Please only bring enough food for the one feeding. Unfortunately, we do not have room to store leftovers. *We do not need bowls, beds, blankets, crates, toys, etc., as they can get lost or destroyed. We have plenty of beds, bowls, and all the comforts of home. *Bring only the amount of food needed, we do not have space for large bags and containers. Place food in a Ziplock baggies with your dog’s name clearly labeled and how much to feed, along with any medications your dog may be prescribed with clear instructions. HOURS OF OPERATION: Nitro: 304-755-4364 Monday through Friday 7:00 AM-6:00 PM Saturday 8:00AM-5:00PM Sunday 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (boarding pick up and drop off only)
Charleston: 681-888-9663 Monday through Friday 7:00AM-6:00PM CLOSED Saturdays & Sundays The Reality of Doggy Daycare House of Hounds Doggy Daycare exists because we love dogs and respect their individuality and their limitations. It is our goal to provide a safe, clean environment for your dog to play and we will always treat your dog as if it were our own (and ours are spoiled!)House of Hounds staff is trained to supervise the dogs in a controlled environment and to assist in their play. Dog daycare, much like daycare for children, presents certain risks and realities of dogs in group care. Just like kids in daycare, dogs are susceptible to whatever bug may be going around. While standard yearly vaccines are excellent in providing protection to canines against the most serious diseases such as parvo, distemper, and Rabies, large gatherings of canines will sometimes see cases of kennel cough or giardia. Your dog is at an increased risk of catching communicable canine illnesses when socializing or encountering other dogs. House of Hounds takes great diligence in minimizing health and safety risks; however, our clients must acknowledge potential risk. Please be aware of these risks outlined below: - Kennel Cough (Bordetella) – One of the most frequent visitors to doggy daycares, kennel cough is much like a cold in humans and usually manifests as a deep, “honking” cough that sometimes causes the patient to gag and potentially cough up a foamy mucus. The dog may become lethargic, develop a runny nose, sneezing, and loss of appetite. Occasionally a fever may present in more serious cases. Your dog can catch kennel cough anywhere he or she may meet another dog. It is a highly contagious airborne virus and can be contracted at the dog park, daycare, your vet, or even walking through your neighborhood! While we do require the kennel cough vaccine, it is not 100% effective, similar to our flu vaccine, and it is not uncommon for facilities to have one to two bouts of kennel cough per year. If your dog contracts kennel cough, please inform us immediately. Any dog who is sick will need to quarantine for a minimum of 15 days.
- Giardia/Coccidia/Worms – Giardia and Coccidia are intestinal parasites that may cause diarrhea or vomiting. Dogs can get these parasites from contact with the feces of infected animals (domestic or wild) or from contact with contaminated standing water. The parasites can be spread at daycare when dogs inspect each other’s rear ends or if they have direct contact with other dogs' feces. Dogs can get worms (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, etc) in the same way they can get giardia or coccidia. House of Hounds is diligent about quickly cleaning dog waste and if we see that a dog has worms, we will isolate the dog and contact the owner to let them know. Once wormed, a dog should stay home for at least a week to give the dead parasites time to work their way out of the dog’s system. If your pooch seems to not be feeling well, please keep him home and seek veterinary attention if symptoms persist. We wouldn’t want to expose your dog’s playmates to potential health issues.
- Canine Oral Papilloma Virus - Also known as oral warts, these are benign tumors of the mouth caused by the papilloma virus. They are found on the lips, gums, and mouth and rarely can also be located on other mucous membranes. This virus usually affects younger dogs, generally under the age of two, due to an underdeveloped immune system. Affected dogs can transmit the virus to other dogs through direct, i.e. greeting one another, sharing toys, or drinking out of the same water bowl. Since canine oral papillomas are usually asymptomatic, treatment is often not indicated unless they become infected or become symptomatic. Infected papillomas can be painful and require a course of antibiotics. If you notice any unusual places on your pet, please set up an appointment with your veterinarian and contact us immediately.
- H3N8/H3N2Canine Influenza - Canine influenza (also known as dog flu) is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by specific Type A influenza viruses known to infect dogs. There are two different influenza A dog flu viruses: one is an H3N8 virus and the other is an H3N2 virus. Symptoms can mimic those of kennel cough and can include a cough, runny nose, fever, lethargy, eye discharge, and reduced appetite, but some dogs will be asymptomatic and experience no symptoms. The severity of illness associated with canine flu in dogs varies. Most dogs recover within 2 to 3 weeks. Canine flu is thought to spread mainly among dogs through respiratory droplets produced during coughing and sneezing from infected dogs, or through contact with contaminated surfaces such as shared toys or water bowls. The incubation period of canine influenza is approximately 2-to-4 days from initial exposure to the dog flu virus. Viral shedding starts to decrease after the fourth day, but dogs remain contagious for up to 26 days depending on the strain. Isolation of at least 21 days is recommended.
- Bloat / Gastric Dilation Volvulus – Bloat is a serious and common condition that occurs most often in larger, deep chested breeds such as Great Danes, St. Bernards and Weimaraners. Left untreated, gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) can be fatal to a dog within hours. Bloat can happen when gas or food stretch a dog's stomach. GDV happens when the distended stomach flips, trapping the gas inside, and blocking off the stomach's blood supply. Some possible causes for bloat include but are not limited to strenuous exercise after eating, eating only one large meal per day, and eating or drinking too fast. Being older raises a dog’s risk for bloat as well. House of Hounds takes preventative measures such as using brake or puzzle bowls for fast eaters and limiting playtime before and after eating. However, sometimes, regardless of what is done to reduce the risk, bloat can still occur.
- Vomiting/Diarrhea/Bloody stool/Thirst – Sometimes when a dog is in a new environment or is taken out of their normal routine, stress or nervousness can occur, leading to gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and vomiting. Like humans, stress can cause a dog's bowels to leak excess fluid along with blood from inflammation. This is sometimes referred to as stress colitis. There are many other causes of blood in the stool such as ulcers and Pancreatitis, but stress is a common cause in a daycare environment. Vomiting can also be a result of stress or change in routine. Also, your dog may sometimes come home and seem excessively thirsty. We have multiple options for water that are refreshed many times throughout the day, but your dog may just be too excited and having too much fun to stop and drink as much as he needs. If you notice your dog is coming home excessively thirsty, just let us know! We can allow him some extra down time with his own bowl of water. Most issues should resolve on their own, but if your dog isn’t back to normal with a day or two, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.
These are just a few of the common health issues that dogs can transfer to one another from time to time. If your dog is showing any symptoms or seems unwell, please keep them home until they can be cleared by their veterinarian. Just like human viruses, all it takes is one to infect a group! - Doggy Disagreements – House of Hounds is diligent about playground rough housing and our strict temperament screening helps give peace of mind that your dog is properly supervised while in our care. We believe that the benefits of dog daycare far exceed the downfalls and that is why we love what we do. We implore all new clients to “know thy dog” and help us anticipate and avoid problem dogs and problem behaviors. However, dogs play with their teeth; they grab each other by the neck, nibble on tails and paws, and steal toys from one another. Therefore, injuries, including but not limited to, nicks, scrapes, broken toenails, and puncture wounds can happen from time to time. Our staff is trained to anticipate any problems and to break up excessively rough play as quickly and safely as possible. (If we notice your dog’s toenails are too long and sharp, we will clip and file them at your expense to help avoid toenail related injuries)
- Hygiene – For some dogs, the essence of a good time is to become stinky, therefore, being stinky is an inevitable outcome of play. Your dog may be drooled or slobbered on by their friends. Also, some dogs enjoy rolling around on the ground or, if it has been raining, laying around and splashing in puddles! Our staff will clean messes as quickly as possible to try to prevent such a situation, but sometimes it is unavoidable. If it is not possible to clean your dog up without a bath, we will make every effort to contact you for permission to bathe your dog at your expense.
House of Hounds makes every effort to ensure the safety and health of all dogs in our care. Medical records for all dogs are kept on file to ensure that dogs have had a thorough health exam in the past year and that they are current on all required vaccinations and on an appropriate flea preventative. In addition to these requirements, we ask that all owners closely monitor their dog’s health and to please keep them home if they are not feeling well. House of Hounds staff has been trained to identify dogs that may not be feeling well or who are acting out of character and will separate such dogs from the group until they can be sent home. At House of Hounds, we believe an exercised dog is a happy, better behaved dog, regardless of breed. We do not breed discriminate; all dogs must pass an identical temperament test and dog to dog introduction as part of their admittance into our daycare program. However, due to safety reasons, protection dogs, i.e. police dogs or dogs who have been trained in bite work, will not be accepted as part of our daycare program. While all dogs must pass our temperament trial, some dogs may be shy for their first few visits, becoming more comfortable as time goes on. Also, some of the more powerful breeds, i.e., Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Pit Bulls, just to name a few, tend to have a rougher playstyle and be more dominant. In some instances, such as these, play style can become too rough. Some dogs may start to pin, bite, mount, and excessively rough house with the other dogs. This can cause issues amongst the pack and can potentially lead to disagreements. If your dog exhibits poor behavior consistently or bites another dog or staff member, we will speak with you about what happened. Dogs who exhibit aggressive or less than desirable behavior will be dismissed as a client. We will always let you know if something is going on with your dog that raises concern. House of Hounds cannot accept the following for our daycare or boarding: - Guests who have had or been exposed to any type of communicable illness, disease, or parasite in the previous 30 days.
- Guests with an unusual or abnormal cough, sneezing, fever, or other questionable signs or symptoms of illness or disease.
- Guests adopted from a shelter or rescue situation in the previous 21 days (to prevent the potential spread of illness contracted from a facility)
- Guests who have previously attended another daycare or boarding facility in the previous 21 days.
- Guests who have extreme separation anxiety.
- Guests who are aggressive towards House of Hounds staff or show signs of “cage or space-aggression”.
Daycare Rates Hourly - $4.50 per hour 25 hour package - $96.25 ($3.85/hour) 50 hour package - $182.50 ($3.65/hour) 100 hour package - $350.00 (3.50/hour) 200 hour package – $650.00 (3.25/hour) UNLIMITED hours - $485.00 per month; package must be renewed on same calendar day each month. *Daycare hours are NON-REFUNDABLE, no exceptions*
Daycare Rates an Packages Boarding Rates Dog boarding - $55.00 per night Cat boarding - $40.00 per night *10% discount for multiple dog families* *Boarding check out is 7:00 am Monday through Friday, 8:00 am Saturdays, and 9:00 Sundays. Daycare rates apply for later pick ups. * We provide overnight boarding 7 days a week, including holidays. Dogs must be dropped off during business hours only. After hour pick up times can be arranged for an additional fee. This must be pre-arranged and paid for on the day of drop off or your dog will not be released until the next business day. Your dog must be pre-screened for daycare (our meet and greet process) and fulfill all criteria for daycare prior to overnight boarding. Please bring your dog’s food, treats (no rawhides please) and any medication they may be taking with instructions for feeding and medication administration. We do not need any beds, blankets, toys, water/food bowls or measuring cups. *Reservations are required for overnight boarding* *If you are five minutes past closing time picking up your dog from daycare, one hour per minute will be deducted from your daycare package. Charleston clients who are late being picked up will not be transferred to our Nitro location for boarding*
HOUSE OF HOUNDS CLIENT AGREEMENT THIS IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN “HOUSE OF HOUNDS” AND PET OWNER(S). PLEASE INITIAL AFTER EACH STATEMENT 1. OWNER AGREES TO PAY THE RATE $55.00 PER NIGHT BOARDING, GROOMING, AND DAYCARE ON THE DATE AND TIME THE PET IS PICKED UP FROM HOUSE OF HOUNDS. 2. OWNER FURTHER AGREES TO PAY ALL COSTS AND CHARGES FOR ANY AND ALL SERVICES NEEDED OR REQUESTED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY AND ALL VETERINARY COSTS FOR THE PET DURING THE TIME THE PET IS IN OUR CARE, AND ANY VETERINARY COSTS INCURRED DUE TO THE PET’S STAY. OWNER FURTHER AGREES THAT THE PET SHALL NOT LEAVE THE PREMISES UNTIL ALL CHARGES INCURRED ARE PAID TO HOUSE OF HOUNDS. 3. BY SIGNING THIS CONTRACT AND LEAVING YOUR PET WITH HOUSE OF HOUNDS, OWNER CERTIFIES TO THE ACCURACY OF ALL INFORMATION GIVEN ABOUT SAID PET. 4. IT IS EXPRESSLY AGREED BY THE OWNER AND HOUSE OF HOUNDS THAT HOUSE OF HOUNDS LIABILITY SHALL IN NO EVENT EXCEED THE LESSER OF CURRENT CHATTEL VALUE OF A PET OF THE SAME BREED OR SPECIES OR THE SUM OF $200.00 (TWO HUNDRED) PER ANIMAL. THE OWNER FURTHER AGREES TO BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL ACTS OR BEHAVIOR OF SAID PET WHILE IN THE CARE OF HOUSE OF HOUNDS. 5. OWNER SPECIFICALLY REPRESENTS THAT HE OR SHE IS THE SOLE OWNER OF THE PET, FREE OF ALL LIENS AND ENCUMBRANCES. 6. OWNER SPECIFICALLY REPRESENTS TO HOUSE OF HOUNDS THE PET HAS NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO RABIES OR DISTEMPER WITHIN A THIRTY DAY PERIOD PRIOR TO ANY STAY. 7. I AGREE, IF MY PET SHOWS ANY SIGNS OF FLEAS OR TICKS DURING ITS STAY, THAT HOUSE OF HOUNDS MAY BATHE MY PET AND I WILL BE CHARGED ACCORDINGLY (SEE GROOMING PRICES). 8. IF PET BECOMES ILL OR IF STATE OF THE ANIMAL’S HEALTH OTHERWISE REQUIRES PROFESSIONAL ATTENTION, HOUSE OF HOUNDS, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, MAY ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF A LOCAL VETERINARIAN OR PROVIDE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION TO THE ANIMAL AND ANY AND ALL EXPENSES THEREOF SHALL BE PAID BY THE OWNER. IN THE EVENT OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, DUE TO LOCATION OF THE PRIMARY VETERINARIAN OR THE TIME OF DAY DURING THE EMERGENCY, HOUSE OF HOUNDS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE YOUR PET TO THE NEAREST VETERINARIAN. 9. THIS CONTRACT CONTAINS THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES. ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS CONTRACT SHALL BE BINDING ON THE HEIRS, ADMINISTRATORS, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND ASSIGNS OF THE OWNER AND HOUSE OF HOUNDS. 10. I UNDERSTAND THAT DURING ANY AND ALL HOLIDAYS MY DEPOSIT FOR BOARDING IS NON-REFUNDABLE AND CAN ONLY BE USED AS A CREDIT TOWARD FUTURE BOARDING, DAYCARE, AND/OR GROOMING. I HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND, AND AGREE TO ITEMS 1-10. OWNER’S INITIALS:
I, MY HEIRS AND ANY ASSIGNS HEREBY RELEASE HOUSE OF HOUNDS, ITS AGENTS, OFFICERS, SUBCONTRACTORS, EMPLOYEES, ANIMAL OWNERS, CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS OF HOUSE OF HOUNDS FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITIES FOR INJURIES TO MYSELF, MY PET OR ANY OTHER PROPERTIES OF MINE WHICH ARISE IN ANY WAY OUT OF SERVICES AND/OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED BY OR AS A CONSEQUENCE OF MY ASSOCIATION WITH HOUSE OF HOUNDS. I ACKNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY PET REACTS DIFFERENTLY AND THAT ANIMALS, BY NATURE, ARE UNPREDICTABLE. DOGS MAY, WITHOUT WARNING, BITE OR CAUSE INJURY TO HUMANS AND OTHER PETS. I ACKNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN RISKS INVOLVED IN PET OWNERSHIP, TRAINING AND CARE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DOG FIGHTS, AND DOG BITES TO HUMANS AND/OR OTHER PETS AND THE TRANSMISSION OF DISEASE. WITH MY SIGNATURE BELOW, I UNDERSTAND THE RISK INVOLVED IN PUTTING MY DOG IN A CAGELESS ENVIRONMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT EXCLUSIVE AND SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL MEDICAL EXPENSES TO MY PET NO MATTER THE CAUSE. I ALSO AUTHORIZE THE RELEASE OF SAID PET’S MEDICAL RECORDS FROM MY VETERINARIAN. I HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND, AND AGREE TO ITEMS ON PAGE 3 AND PAGE 4 OF THE HOUSE OF HOUNDS CLIENT AGREEMENT. PET OWNERS INTIALS: DATE: May 9, 2024 PET PHOTO CONSENT FORM I hereby grant House of Hounds permission to use any photographs taken of myself or my pet, in any and all of its publications, including website entries, without payment or any other consideration. I understand and agree that these materials will become your property and will not be returned. I hereby authorize to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish or distribute this photo for purposes of publicizing your programs or for any other lawful purpose. In addition, I waive any right to royalties or other compensation arising or related to the use of the photograph. I hereby release rights to all claims, demands, and causes to action which I, my heirs, representatives, executors, administrators, or any other persons acting on my behalf of my estate have or may have by reason of this authorization. In signing this consent, I give authorization to use my name and my pet’s name and information as printed below. PET OWNERS INTIALS: DATE: May 9, 2024 MEDICAL RELEASE FORM Owner agrees to allow House of Hounds to secure medical treatment for Owner’s dog(s) if he/she becomes ill, injured, or exhibits any other behavior that would suggest that their dog(s) may need medical treatment, including anesthesia. Owner agrees to be fully responsible for the cost of any necessary medical treatment. Owner gives permission to House of Hounds to use Owner’s vet or closest emergency vet for required treatment. PET OWNERS INTIALS: DATE: May 9, 2024
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