Our boarding establishment is exclusively for ‘fixed’ (or de-sexed) pets.
Why ‘Fixed’ Only?
Firstly, it is not personal. Our Policy is not a form of punishment, but rather, a simple and practical safety measure. It is designed specifically to help us manage the open-plan socialisation system that we offer.
Secondly, we love all dogs, whatever bits they may or may not have.
Thirdly, and most importantly! We know that removing ‘hormones’ from the doggy-play-ground makes it far safer for all concerned – pets and humans alike.
If you understand our mixing philosophy then the following is easier to understand:
Virile Boys
Without being too descriptive, a virile dog is (or can be) super annoying to others. Their instinctive actions ‘up’ the excitement and tension in the yards. The instigator of ‘bad manners’ is the one who is at greater risk of receiving a major correction from buddies.
Jealousy from ‘fixed’ playmates, is a major consideration – more often than not, they are the ones who fire up the attitude of others around them as they react to the smell of a full boy. This leads to unruly behaviour and poor manners – creating a chain reaction across our grounds. This makes pack management much harder for our hard-working purple people.
Both factors will compromise the safety of guests in their yards.
Entire Girls
An entire female attracts a lot of attention from playmates, regardless of where they are at in their natural cycle. This attention is often unwanted and distressing. Surprisingly, the excitement and stimulation in our yards can bring on a cycle early.
When are they due?
We rely on the owner’s knowledge as to when a female is due to come on, or off, heat. This information, historically speaking, proved limited in accuracy (and/or understanding) – creating awkward and stressful situations.
Add to this, after their initial ‘heat’, it can take up to two years to settle into a consistent time pattern for their cycle. So predictability, when young, is unpredictable. More awkwardness.
Hence, we simply remove the guesswork by NOT hosting breeding-aged entire females. We simply cannot guarantee their safety (particularly from neighbouring intact farm dogs).
Entire Pups – When Can they Stay or Play?
To keep rules simple and clear-cut, pups (male and female) can stay or play with us from the age of 16 weeks up until they are 9 months of age. Thereafter, they must be de-sexed.
This age limit, for small breed girls, is difficult as they can cycle from a much younger age. We will forewarn these owners to monitor their pets carefully in the weeks leading up to their stay. The proviso is that alternate care arrangements must be made if they come into season.
Your vet will recommend the optimum age for the de-sexing of your pet. There are many health reasons for delaying the procedure, particularly for large breeds.
We absolutely understand that the timing between your vet’s recommendation for de-sexing, and our rules simply won’t gel (most of the time). There will be a transition period through teenhood where we cannot take your pet for boarding.
However, clear lines in the sand help us to maintain a safe and non-hormone-smelling environment. This makes the life of our purple people far less stressful – and, beyond question, far safer for our four-legged guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
| My dog is a full (entire) male, can I still board him? | No. We do understand that some breeds cannot be desexed until older (size and breed dependent) – and this creates an overlap of time between pup-hood and adult-hood that is entirely inconvenient for the owner (for boarding purposes). However, we adhere to our rules to maintain a safe and less excitable playground. |
| You used to board Full Males, why not now? | Yes, we tried, but it was simply too difficult and time-consuming to monitor. Our staff are busier than ever and caring for entire pets places undue stress on them. We accept our duty of care very seriously. |
| But my female won’t be on heat! | Some pet owners understand well the reproductive cycle of canines. Others have no clue. Our blanket policy simply removes the guesswork about who understands what. Our experience tells us that playmates instinctively know when another buddy is entire (no matter the cycle time) – which simply ups the excitement in the playground. Our over-stimulating environment can cause the early onset of ‘heat’. |
| I have breeding dogs, can I board them? | No. For the safety of your pets, we recommend that a traditional-style kennel would be more suited to your requirements. |
| I have a show dog, and I can’t have them desexed. Can they board? | We recommend that a traditional-style kennel is more suited to your needs. |
| But, all your male dogs are de-sexed. Why is my girl at risk? | True, however, we can’t say the same for nearby farm dogs. |
| I can’t book my dog online. Why? | Rules in our booking system are designed to block entire dogs. If your dog is on the ‘cusp’ of 9 months of age then the system may not allow a booking, please call us to discuss. 0458962000 |
| It’s not fair, there aren’t any other kennels nearby | We understand and empathise. However, if we change the rule for one, then we aren’t being fair & consistent to all of our valued customers. Remember our policy is to protect your pet, not to punish them. We recommend that you plan well ahead to find alternate arrangements. |
| Do you accept dogs with Hormone Replacement Therapy? | No, we don’t. (Exceptions apply to existing customers pre-July 2022) |
| How long after de-sexing can my pet board? | Please check with your vet, they will be able to give you the best, and most accurate information about when it is safe to board. Boys and Girls have different recovery times, but it will also depend on the success of the individual procedure. Remember, we are a highly active environment, so ‘quiet recovery time’ is not exactly an easy service to provide. |
