What vaccines are required? 

• To keep your pups safe, all dogs require up-to-date Rabies, Bordetella, and Distemper For all dogs attending the Greenbrier location and participating in daycare at Bayside, a negative fecal exam (can be written OVA parasite, flotation, internal parasite exam, etc.). We use the expiration date provided by your veterinarian, so make sure it is indicated on your pet’s record!  

Can I administer my own vaccinations?​

• To ensure the efficacy of vaccinations, we require them to be administered by a licensed veterinarian. We will also accept paperwork from your veterinarian stating due dates.  ​

Do you offer discounts?  

• We offer an active-duty military discount of 10% on standard boarding stays, a 10% discount on multiple pets boarding in the same room, as well as significant discounts on daycare, day boarding, and enrichment packages, as well as a reward program.  All packages must be used within 90 days of purchase. 

When will I see pictures of my pet? 

• While it is not guaranteed, we do our best to take pictures of your pup every day (Greenbrier) or when they have their play-time session (Bayside). At checkout, you will receive an email and text message with a link to your report card. During boarding stays, you can log into your portal and see if any pictures have been uploaded. Keep in mind, even though we are taking pictures, attaching them to your pet’s profile takes quite a bit of time and is not an instant process.  Please refrain from continually calling or emailing the front desk demanding more pictures. Our goal is 3 pictures per day. Most of the time we meet our goal, but sometimes our focus is on reassuring a nervous pet rather than snapping more pictures. 

Does my dog have to be spayed/ neutered? 

• To participate in daycare, dogs must be spayed or neutered if over 7 months old. Unaltered dogs are still able to do overnight boarding and small group play.  

Why do we close from 11-1? 

• The front desk is closed from 11-1 daily so we can provide lunch to the daycare dogs, potty breaks for boarding dogs, and lunch breaks for our awesome staff members!  

Why does the Ruff House at Greenbrier require a negative fecal test, but the Ruff House at Bayside does not? 

• Despite the same quality of service, the Greenbrier and Bayside locations are quite different. The Ruff House at Greenbrier caters to dog-social dogs. To that end, all dogs utilize the same play yards for potty breaks and play time, so we cannot risk intestinal parasites being passed along. The Ruff House at Bayside provides individual indoor/outdoor runs for each dog, so the spread of intestinal parasites is much less likely.  

What do I need to bring with me on a temperament test day? 

• If you have already uploaded your vaccines (INCLUDING CLEAN FECAL), you only need to bring your dog! If you have a young puppy who is accustomed to eating lunch, you can bring a pre-portioned lunch for the day.  

Who needs a temperament test?  

• All dogs who come to our Greenbrier facility and those wishing to participate in daycare at Bayside. Before we can accept a request for a boarding reservation, your dog much complete a temperament test. This ensures we can safely handle them, and they are much more comfortable and less stressed. If you are trying to make a reservation at Greenbrier and your dog has not been there within 6 months, they will need to repeat the temperament test before utilizing another service. 

What happens during a temperament test? 

• Our goal during a temperament test is to find the best possible play situation for your pup. The first thing we do is a “touch test,” where we ensure your dog is comfortable being handled by strangers. We do this by petting them and leashing them while you remove their collar.  

• After the touch test, we do a crate test. Dogs sometimes need breaks during long days of daycare, or a private place to eat their lunch. To test this, we place them in a crate and ensure they are not overly scared or try to harm themselves.  

How long does a temperament test last? 

• We request that your pup stay at least 5 hours. This allows them to get over initial jitters and gives us a better idea of their play style. The temperament test allows your dog to stay the full day regardless of how the test goes.  

Can my dog have bath/ nail trim while they are there for their temperament test? 

• Temperament test days are extremely stimulating days! We want your pup’s first day at the Ruff House to be 100% positive, so typically we do not offer baths or nail trims on temperament test days.  

Can I take a tour?  

• YES! We LOVE showing off our facility! Appointments are not necessary, but we request you avoid the 7-9 a.m. drop-off rush, as well as the 4-6 p.m. pick-up rush. 3:30 pm on the day of your temperament test is a perfect time, so we can also talk to you about how your pup did! Do not have time for a personal visit? We have a virtual tour of our Greenbrier facility online at www.greenbrier.ruffhouse.com! 

Do you have cameras?  

• While the owners and management team have 24/7 camera access, for privacy reasons, we do not allow client access. Upon checkout, you will receive pictures from your pup’s stay in their report card!  

What sorts of safety measures do you have?  

• Our facility is as safe as physically possible. We have a full security system, temperature alarms, cameras throughout the facility, and our staff training with Pet First Aid & CPR exceeds industry standards.  

What do you do for daycare if it is raining or extremely hot or cold? 

• Both facilities have indoor and outdoor play yards with shade. The indoor yards are climate controlled with heat and air conditioning. We try and maximize the outdoor time the dogs have but will move inside if weather and temperatures are not conducive or safe for outdoor play.

What do I need to bring while boarding? 

• Since dogs can get upset stomachs with a change of diet, we recommend you bring your pup’s food from home in pre-portioned bags. You are also welcome to bring a toy or two, as well as a bed that fits in a standard size washing machine. We will provide bedding if you do not bring it. We do not accept rawhide or rope toys as they pose a choking hazard.  

What is the difference between Daycare and Day Boarding?  

• Dogs that test into Daycare are comfortable with all other dogs. They are spayed/neutered if over 7 months of age and enjoy the stimulation of a large playgroup. Unless specific breaks are needed, they remain in the Daycare Group from drop-off to pick-up.  

• Day Boarding dogs do not fit all the criteria of a Daycare Dog. They might enjoy group play in a smaller group, may not be neutered/ spayed, or may simply be too nervous or reserved to join the rambunctious Daycare group. This does not mean your dog will not be socialized! It simply means we take extra care in selecting the right size playgroup (or individual play), as well as the appropriate duration of socialization so all dogs with us can thrive.  

Why don’t I leave my collar on my dog? How can you identify them?  

• Collars present an injury hazard during group play. When dogs interact with each other, it is possible for their long canines to get caught in another dog’s collar. Dogs who are “look-alikes,” particularly some of the more common breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and some “Doodles,” may wear a paper collar to easily distinguish them.  

How often should I bring my dog?  

• We recommend that you bring your dog at least once a week to maintain their socialization. Greenbrier Location Only: Dogs who have not been here for 6 months will need to complete another temperament test before returning.  

What if my dog has not been there in a while? 

• We work extremely hard to maintain a peaceful daycare and ensure our pups are as comfortable as possible. We recommend that your dog participates in daycare at least once a week. If your pup has been to The Ruff House at Greenbrier in 6 months, they will be required to complete another temperament test before we accept future reservations.  

Here are some common terms you may see on your pup’s report card:  

• Overstimulation – overwhelmed by external stimuli (e.g.: other dogs, smells, humping, chase games, etc.). 

• Herding/Policing – responds negatively to other dogs playing by taking action to interrupt them. 

• Third Wheeling – When two dogs playing, an additional dog tries to join in, causing unbalanced play  

• Bullying/antagonizing – picking on many or one dog(s) and not listening to handlers’ or dog’s corrections  

• Chase Games – running around the yard causing other dogs to chase them, can lead to herding + overstimulation 

• Tagging – Following one specific dog and not listening to their corrections  

• Fence aggression- Following the fence line and barking/snapping at dogs that pass by  

• Excessive barking- Barking continuously at other dogs or handlers  

• Resource guarding- Occurs when a dog is possessive of items such as toys, water, pools, buckets, food, etc. 

• Dominant behavior- Dogs that show dominant signs over other dogs like putting head over neck, stiff body language, mounting, and not showing any submissive behavior towards the dogs, etc. 

• Active timeout- Walk around the daycare yard on a lead, used as a correction to redirect a dog’s energy into something other than unwanted behaviors. 

• Figure 8- Using a slip lead by making a figure eight under the snout of a dog and pulling it over the dog's muzzle to activate specific pressure points to help self soothe a dog. This method is used for a few minutes at a time until the dog settles down. 

• Crate Breaks- Dogs going into a crate for 10-30 minutes to help calm them down from either overstimulation, or if all other types of corrections did not work. 

Where can I find the pictures of my dog?  

• At checkout, you will receive a text message and email with links to your report card. Any pictures taken during your pet's stay will be attached to the report card.. If you have trouble accessing it, let us know! 

Do you have half days of daycare and day boarding? 

• We do!!  Anything less than 5 hours is considered a half day of daycare. Please let our friendly front desk know so we can ensure your reservation is correct. 

Why chase games and barking discouraged in Daycare? 

• We work hard to maintain a peaceful and low-stress environment in our daycare yards. Chase games and excessive barking inject unwanted stress and frustrate the rest of the dogs.  

Why doesn’t Bayside require temperament tests for boarding? 

• Bayside has individual indoor/outdoor runs rather than group play yards and can accommodate less dog-social dogs. Due to the deconfliction of play yard space for bathroom breaks, Greenbrier has a limited amount of nongroup dogs it can accommodate. Dogs participating in daycare at Bayside are required to complete a temperament test.