FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How far in advance do I need to make a reservation?

Current customers: We have no specific requirement for how far in advance you must make your reservation. As long as your dog has passed our screening requirements and we have space, we will take your reservation. However, during the school breaks. we are particularly busy and strongly encourage you to make your reservations early. Please see our calendar for a listing of school vacations, holiday hours and closures.

New customers: We cannot take a reservation unless your dog has passed our temperament screening. Screenings are by appointment only, so please contact us to set one up.

Although we try our best to accommodate last-minute requests for screenings, we strongly encourage you to schedule your dog's screening well ahead of time.

How old does my dog have to be to attend? Do you take unneutered/unspayed dogs?

We take dogs as young as 16 weeks. After your dog is 7 months old, your dog must be spayed or neutered in order to attend.

What should I bring to my dog's temperament screening?

In order to do the screening, we must have copies of your dog’s shot records showing up to date Rabies, Distemper, and Bordatella. If your dog is over 7 months old, we will need some medical record that says s/he is spayed or neutered. Please note, we do not accept handwritten vet records.

What do you look for during the temperament screening?

During the screening, we make sure your dog is friendly to other dogs, friendly to people, and willing to go in a crate as needed. We also look for signs of stress and separation anxiety. We do not take chronic barkers.

Is there anything else you require before my dog's first boarding visit?

For boarding dogs, depending on how well your dog did during his or her screening, we may require a trial day of daycare before his first boarding visit. If possible, please leave enough time between when you schedule your dog's screening and when you need to board your dog so s/he can come for a trial day if necessary.

What vaccinations do you require?

We require up to date Rabies, Distemper and Bordatella. The bordatella vaccine must be administered to your dog a minimum of 48 hours prior to your dog's screening. Please plan your dog's visit to your veterinarian outside of that 48 hour time frame.

Will you give my dog medication?

Yes. However, we do not give injections. For safety reasons, we also do not “pill” dogs (meaning force pills down a dog’s throat.) We will give your dog pills if s/he will eat them willingly or in some kind of treat. Please bring pill pockets or something similar if needed.

What should I bring for my dog's boarding visit?

Emergency contact numbers: If you are staying somewhere that has a landline (hotel, relative’s, etc.), we would like that number in addition to your cell phones. If you will be unreachable or hard to reach, please bring phone numbers for anyone you would like us to contact in the event of an emergency.

Food: You should bring enough of your dog’s regular food to last his entire visit and a bit extra in case you are unexpectedly delayed.

Medications: You should bring any medications, in the original bottle, with instructions on how and when they are to be given. Please also provide pill pockets, peanut butter, or whatever other means you use to get your dog to take his pills. We do not “pill” dogs by forcing pills down their throats. Please bring some extra meds in case you are unexpectedly delayed.

Treats: (optional) You may bring edible treats. Please don’t bring things like rawhide, antlers, etc.

Bedding: (optional) You may bring bedding as long as it will fit in a household size washing machine. Do not bring bedding that you cannot live without. Sometimes a dog will surprise us and destroy bedding that they would not destroy at home. We do not replace personal bedding. If you prefer, we can give your dog bedding that we have on hand, as long as s/he is not destructive.

We provide dishes, toys, and crates. Please don’t bring your own.

What if my dog is sick? Can s/he still come?

We do not allow dogs with contagious conditions to attend daycare or boarding. If your dog has had a communicable condition within the last 30 days, your dog will not be admitted without a certification of health from a veterinarian.

We do not accept new dogs who are prone to seizures.

If your dog has a non-contagious medical condition, please call the office at 207-839-4661 before bringing him/her.

How many dogs do you take? How big are your playgroups? Are they supervised?

We only take up to 20 dogs total. Those dogs are split up into smaller groups based on size, activity level, play style and personality. For safety reasons, the playgroups are ALWAYS supervised.

When do the boarding dogs go out for the last time in the evening?

The boarding dogs are let out for their final evening potty break sometime between 8:30 - 10:00pm.

Is someone there overnight? what if there's a power outage?

The owner of The Dog Paws Inn lives onsite. We have a standby generator in the event of a power outage. Your dog will stay warm even when the power is out.