Terms and Conditions

DOGGIE DAYCARE TERMS & CONDITIONS

Only dogs that are considered to be sociable and have a suitable temperament for Daycare, agreed by the staff at SCDT Doggie Day Care Centre, will be accepted to attend.

Dogs with serious behaviour or aggression issues will not be accepted.

Booking process:

Firstly owners must complete an online Registration form and then book and attend a 1hr Trial/Assessment slot at Daycare. At the end of the Trial slot the SCDT Doggie Daycare Team will give feedback on how your dog got on and if they are suitable to attend again. We may suggest a Settling-in period, and suggest another 1 or 2 hour slot, or half day, before the dog is accepted to attend a full day. These Settling-in sessions will be at the clients expense.

If your dog is considered not to be suitable to attend, we will fully explain why, this decision will be final. We always act in the best interests of the dog/s that attend our centre and sometimes it is not the right environment for all breeds/personalities of dogs.

Requirements:

All dogs accepted into Daycare must be fully vaccinated, and we require a copy of their vaccine card for our records on their first visit. The Kennel Cough vaccination is optional and at the owner’s discretion. However if your dog has contracted Kennel Cough, they must have been clear of coughing for 7 days before they may return.

All dogs attending must be regularly de-wormed and de-flea’d at the following intervals:

• Worm treatment – every 3 months.

• Flea treatment – every month.

If your dog develops any new ailments/medical conditions you must update the SCDT Doggie Daycare staff immediately. In some cases this may result in them not being able to attend Daycare until they are in full health again.

If we notice any dog has fleas, they will need to be collected straight away and cannot return until they have had a full course of treatment. On the first occasion there will be no charge but if your dog arrives with fleas a second time then you will be charged £100 to cover our cleaning and maintenance costs.

Puppies are accepted once they are fully vaccinated (minimum age is 10 weeks).

Un-spayed female dogs will not be accepted during their season (the usual period is 3 weeks). They can return once they are 7 days free of bleeding and have had a bath.

We are unable to accept entire males once they are over a year old. We will accept male dogs over a year, if they are castrated (this includes a valid chemical castration).

All dogs must wear securely fitted collars that are in good condition and include an ID tag, and they must be kept on a lead when walking around the farm and entering Daycare.

Should the staff at SCDT Doggie Daycare feel that your dog is no longer suitable for Daycare they reserve the right to refuse your dog at any time or to terminate the contract.

SCDT Doggie Daycare does not accept responsibility for the death, injury or illness of your dog. We strongly advise you to insure your dog for all eventualities.

Bookings and charges:

Bookings can be cancelled, however if cancelled within 24hrs of the booking a fee of £10 will be charged.

Payments can be made online. We require payment to be made in advance, at the time of booking or at least before your dog enters Daycare. Please do not rely on payment at drop off as the team may be busy welcoming other dogs.

Opening times are: 7:30am - 6:30pm.

Charges are as follows:

Full day (£35): 7.30am – 6.30pm.

Additional full days in the same week (£30): 7.30am - 6.30pm.

Morning half day (£22): 7.30am – 1.30pm.

Afternoon half day (£22): 1pm - 6.30pm.

1hr visit £10

Any 1 or 2 hour visits must be within the half day times but not between 11am-12pm.

Collection and drop off can be at any point during these session times.

Please remember our speed limit on site is 15mph. Please drive with care and caution.

Terms and conditions updated August 2024

DOGGIE DAY CARE - FAQs

Q. How do I prepare my dog for daycare?

Please feed your dog 1-2 hours before your dog arrives at SCDT Doggie Day Care. This reduces the risk of the, sometimes fatal, illness of gastric torsion or bloat. It allows them time to digest some of their food before the exercise and excitement that daycare causes.

It would be greatly appreciated if you gave your dog a short walk before daycare so they have time to empty their bladder and bowels.

Q. Are all the dogs kept together?

Depending on the group of dogs at daycare we may keep all dogs together but more regularly dogs will be split into smaller groups depending on their temperaments and play styles. There are multiple areas to allow us to do this including the outside play area, inside play area and rest zone.

Q. Are the dogs left alone at any time?

No, dogs are always supervised during their play and rest times.

Q. What happens during my dog’s assessment?

Before you arrive at the centre you will be asked to fill in a questionnaire about your dog. This is for us to get a general idea about your dog’s temperament, likes and dislikes. Once this has been filled in we will take your dog into daycare. Owners are encouraged to leave their dogs with us and to return in one hour to collect their dogs. We don’t have anything to hide but like to see how the dogs will behave without their owners with them as this is how it will be at daycare.

Your dog will mix with dogs of different sizes and ages.

During the assessment, the trained staff will be looking at how your dog interacts around different types of dogs, with the staff at the centre, whether they share toys and food readily with other dogs and generally, whether they are enjoying themselves.

If your dog is not suitable for the daycare environment we will be happy to talk to you about how the assessment went and suggest other services that we can provide such as dog walking/pet sitting visits.

If we feel your dog has the potential to enjoy daycare but have not seen enough during the assessment hour we will invite your dog back for a half/full day at daycare before we make our final decision (this will be at your expense)

Q. My dog is a little shy – will they enjoy daycare?

This is exactly what the assessment period is for but don’t worry all our newbies in daycare will meet the dogs in small groups to get to know them. We always take it slow, especially with the more nervous dogs. Each dog’s time at daycare is tailor-made and daycare can be a great way to increase a dog’s confidence.

Q. Are there any risks?

There are always risks when a group of dogs play. All our staff have training in dealing with any conflicts that occur. We frequently will stop dog play to let things calm down a little before we allow it to restart. Some occasional growling and posturing is natural when there are a group of dogs together but if it becomes any more than that then we may exclude that dog either for a small amount of time (in our quiet zone) or terminate their contract.

Several of our staff have participated in a first aid course for dogs.

Q. Are the dogs fed?

The dogs should be fed their breakfast and dinner at home before and after they come to daycare. Should your dog require lunch then please bring their required amount in a small sandwich bag labelled clearly with their name and your surname. Dogs are fed separately and will then require an hour of quiet time after meals to reduce the risk of bloat, if we feel that your dog is becoming too stressed during their hour of quiet time we may ask that we don’t feed your dog.

Treats will be used for training purposes so if your dog has any allergies please make sure you have put this on your application form.

Fresh water will be available at all times.

Q. Can someone else pick my dog up if I am delayed?

Yes, please just let us know on the day or if it is a regular occurrence we will put a note on your dog’s registration form.

Please let us know the full name of the designated person who will collect your dog and they must bring a form of ID with them.

Q. Should I bring toys?

No, thank you. We will provide all the toys that your dog might need and we find that if a dog has a special toy that they bring along sometimes they can be a little over-attached to it which may cause a few little problems in daycare.

Q. What if my dog is injured or becomes unwell?

We employ the highest Health & Safety standards and take great care to ensure injury or illness does not occur but should your dog become ill we will notify you immediately. In an emergency we will take your dog to your vet – you, the owner, must cover all medical costs.

If you have any questions about our Terms and Conditions please email: tamara@sussexcountydogtraining.co.uk

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Brucellosis (Brucella) Prevention Policy

Canine Brucellosis is an infectious disease in dogs, caused by a bacteria called ‘Brucella canis’.
In dogs, it mainly affects the reproductive organs (womb and testicles), causing infertility and pregnancy loss, but it can also travel to the joints and spine, causing lameness and back pain.
Brucella canis is common in other countries but historically the UK has been considered free of it.
Vets are seeing an increase in cases due to the rise in dogs being imported into the UK.
Canine brucellosis is zoonotic, meaning it can also cause illness in humans who have been in contact with infected dogs but fortunately, this is very rare.
We must control the spread of canine brucellosis to protect both human and animal health.

Brucella canis travels in reproductive/birthing fluids and tissue, semen (sperm), vaginal discharge (including blood during a season), and milk. It also travels in urine, blood, poo, saliva and snot, however, these fluids seem to be less infectious.

The most common way for a dog to catch brucellosis is by:

Mating with an infected dog.
Licking/eating/sniffing infected birthing fluids from an infected dog – once an infected dog has given birth or miscarried, she will continue to shed large amounts of Brucella canis bacteria in her vaginal fluids/discharge for 4-6 weeks.
Sniffing or licking the genitals of an infected dog, especially female dogs in season.
Puppies can catch it in the womb or through contaminated milk if their mother is infected.

Less common (but still possible) ways for a dog to catch brucellosis is by:

Coming into contact with infected urine or blood.
Contact with saliva, poo or snot.
From an environment that has had infectious material such as birthing fluids or tissue in it. An environment can stay contaminated for several months.

Policy Statement:

1. Screening Requirement: All dogs entering the Daycare centre or boarding with SPS who have been imported or live with imported dogs must undergo a brucellosis screening test conducted by a licensed veterinarian. Also, dogs with a history of travel to high-risk regions or known exposure to the disease should be screened before admission.

2. Vaccination Recommendation: While the Brucellosis vaccine is not considered a core vaccine, dog owners are encouraged to discuss the option of vaccination with their veterinarian, especially for dogs at higher risk of exposure.

3. Health Monitoring: Doggie Daycare and SCDT will implement regular health monitoring protocols to detect any signs of illness or infectious diseases, including Brucellosis, among the dogs in our care.

4. Hygiene Practices: Strict hygiene practices will be followed, including regular cleaning and disinfection of facilities, equipment, and common areas to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

5. Reporting and Response: In the event of a suspected or confirmed case of Brucellosis at SCDT, the centre will notify the local veterinary authority, implement isolation protocols for the infected dog, and communicate with other dog owners about the potential exposure.

6. Education and Awareness: Dog owners will be educated about the signs, symptoms, and prevention of Brucellosis, as well as the importance of disease control measures in Daycare.

7. Compliance with Regulations: Doggie Daycare and SCDT will comply with all relevant regulations and guidelines set forth by veterinary authorities and industry organizations to ensure the health and safety of the dogs in our care.

This policy is designed to help our Doggie Daycare Centre, Training Centre and Petsitters Homes to prevent the spread of Brucellosis and other infectious diseases, promote the health and well-being of the dogs in our care, and maintain a safe and hygienic environment for all.