Terms

Terms and conditions

LIFE ON PAWS PUPPY POLICY

Life on Paws welcomes puppies. We like owners to be fully informed of the risks and benefits of puppy boarding and day care.

Puppy Boarding & Day Care Admission Criteria

Puppies must be a Minimum Age of 12 weeks
Owners must supply veterinary proof that the puppy is up to date with all required vaccines & parasite treatments. These include: at 8 weeks – dewormer, Distemper, Parvo & Kennel Cough vaccines: at 10 weeks – dewormer: at 12 weeks- dewormer, Distemper, Parvo & Kennel cough boosters

Puppy Care

Puppies need extra care and attention & at Life on Paws they will be supervised & cared for with extra vigilance at all times.

They will:

Be given safe, age-appropriate dog toys and treats
Be taken outside for frequent toilet breaks
Be walked according to Kennel Club recommendations for their age ie 5mins per day per month of age.
Be allowed free play time & regular rest and recuperate periods through the day
Be encouraged to socialise (supervised with friendly dogs) to aid their development
Be given plenty of attention & socialisation with life on Paws staff to aid their development
Be separated from other dogs while sleeping
Be fed separately to other dogs
Basic training will be maintained & continued on the instruction of owners

They will not:

Be left alone with other dogs or children in the house
Be allowed to play with toys unsupervised
Be allowed to eat unsupervised
Be over-exercised

Considerations for owners of young puppies (under 6 months) booking day care or boarding

Young puppies are at a critical stage in their development & Life on Paws considers it essential to inform & discuss with owners of the benefits & considerations of care outside the home so that they can build the best possible short & long term investment in their dog. This includes:

Benefits:

Socialisation. Young puppies will have plenty of supervised opportunity to mix, play & learn from a variety of dogs & people, which they may not have at home, if they are the only dog. Dog behaviourists emphasise that socialising at this age is imperative for the development of a well-adjusted & happy dog which can deal with all kinds of situations
Reduces separation anxiety & associated undesirable behaviours. Young puppies, like young children, need a constant caring presence to build confidence & self esteem until they are old enough to cope for short periods on their own.
Helps build their immune system as they are in contact with other dogs & natural environments.
Encourages regular routines, natural play with other dogs & supervised walks so puppies are well exercised, fulfilled & develop fewer annoying habits at home.
Helps puppies build well-rounded personalities as plenty of attention can be given to issues such as shyness or alpha attributes.
Basic training can be maintained & enhanced, whether the owner is there or not.

Considerations

A puppy’s immune system will not fully developed at under 16 weeks and the puppy vaccine series will not have been completed. They will not have had a rabies vaccination.They may be temporarily more susceptible to catching ailments from other dogs or more likely to get sick than older dogs. However, the strict vaccination policy of Life on Paws, should minimise this risk.
Puppies may have increased risk of hurting themselves while playing. However, puppies are closely supervised at all times & will be separated if play seems potentially too rough.
Young puppies bond with those who spend the most time feeding, playing with & attending to their needs. If puppies are spending most of their waking life outside the home this is something to consider. However we are sure you love your dog very much and therefore they will likely have a strong bond both here and in your home. It is good for them to have multiple places that they feel happy and well.