Dogs

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We adhere to the Code of Practice for Boarding Kennels in Victoria.

Welcome to doggy paradise! Get ready for playtime, happy tails, comfy rooms, puppy fun, and tasty meals.

Yes, our style is different.

We were the first in Australia to swap boring kennels for an open-play paradise! Here, dogs romp around in small, friendly groups for most of the day—sunshine permitting—because life is more fun with friends.

To keep things safe and awesome, we’ve set a few ground rules:

  • Sorry, no new Bully Breeds allowed – our packs are drama-free zones! (check out why!)
  • We rank every dog from “Chill as a cucumber” (Rank 1) to “Needs their own VIP room” (Rank 5) – see how our Ranks and Caps work.
  • All dogs over 9 months must be desexed. Trust us: hormones + group play = chaos (think: cat at a dog show)
  • Social butterflies are our jam! But we’ve got quiet corners for introverts, too.
  • New pups get a trial stay—a bit like an audition, minus the jazz hands (but with extra tail wags). Unfortunately, we don’t offer trials during our busiest times – so timing is impawtant.
  • Collars with name tags are a must. Imagine four black labs in a game of musical chairs – you get the picture!

Yards & Packs

We’ve got 43 yards—yes, 43!—because dogs, like people, don’t all want the same backyard. Some like sunbathing, some like shade, some want to run, and some just want to splash in the water trough. Every yard is decked out with beds, toys, sprinklers, and plenty of doggy real estate.

Picking the perfect pack is a bit like playing Tetris with tails: we sort dogs by age, size, breed, and their unique personalities. Our team is constantly shuffling the packs—moving pups around as new friends arrive or others head home. While we’re cleaning, we multitask: playing games, scratching bellies, applying sunscreen and snapping glamour shots (if the dogs feel like holding still for longer than two seconds).

Big dogs and little dogs usually don’t mix (no one wants a Chihuahua in a sumo match), but sometimes the older gentle giants prefer to hang with the small or senior crowd. And those feisty little furballs (think Jack Russell) can end up with the goofy retrievers. It’s a yin-yang, fengshei approach.

At the end of the day, we trust our experience—and your detailed info—to keep every tail wagging.

Curly Coats & Long-haired larrikans

Long-haired and curly-coated dogs, beware: our playtime means tangle time! Oodles, Collies, and Aussies, we see you. Mats love to hide, and they’re sneaky—sometimes even we can’t spot them right away. Matted fur isn’t just a bad hair day—it can hurt! That’s why we ask owners to brush or cut out all knots before boarding.

Staying awhile? Book an extra brushing (or two)—think of it as a spa day to keep those tangles away (and your pup looking fabulous).

Sleeping Quarters

Where do our guests sleep? In style! Big dogs get spacious rooms, little ones get cozy (great-dane-sized) crates, and everyone enjoys fancy climate control (think fans, air-conditioning, floor heating, or a snug jacket). Rooms are cleaned daily—no doggy gym socks here! Siblings can bunk together if you say so, but dinner is always supervised. We even play classical music at bedtime (pawse for applause). Bonus: new rooms coming soon!

Dogs Dinner

Dinner’s included! Bring your own if you want, but the price stays the same. Dogs eat in their own rooms—no group meals or food fights. Siblings get supervised at dinner time.

Everything we serve has chicken. If your dog can’t have it, please bring their own food.

We feed our guests top-quality kibble (Royal Canin) mixed with Prime100 Chicken & Veg to keep them happy and healthy. You can also pick extra treats like chicken wings or sardines when you book. Grain-free? No problem, we have a BlackHawk option.  

Want something fancy? Grab a warm chicken dinner or meat feast, cooked in-house. Delicious!

Evening meals are healthy and filling, but not huge (it’s a gut-care thing). If your dog needs more calories, we have fun options like breakfasts and add-ons.

Of course, you will provide your pooch’s specific feed requirements when you book.  

Our favoured food suppliers are:

Dogs Breakfast

Breakfast for adult dogs is an extra $5 a day. We trust owners to know what their dog needs (remembering that dogs burn more energy here and it’s best to boost calories before they lose weight—not after- just sayin’).

  • Got a dog that zooms like a Kelpie or bounces like a Jack Russell? Breakfast is a great idea!
  • One meal a day might not cut it if your pup is staying awhile, has lost weight before, or needs food with morning meds.

Want to spoil your pooch? You can pick extra breakfasts, a food-based ‘time-out,’ or treat them to a Kong stuffed with goodies. We even serve “silver service” brekkies like poached chicken, bacon and eggs, or porridge with blueberries—yes, really!

If you bring your own breakfast, there’s no discount, but we’ll explain how to pack it like a pro.

Puppies

Puppy parents, listen up! Our booking system is picky: pups need to be at least 14 weeks old for daycare and 16 weeks for boarding. Vaccines must be up to date, and they have to wait 12 days after their second shot before joining the fun. At nine months, they “graduate” to grown-up status.

Tiny tornadoes (aka puppies) chill near the office for extra supervision. After all that play, they get a midday “paws” (nap time!), plus a hearty dinner and breakfast to fuel those zoomies.

Essentials – Before Booking

  • Our open-play style is big fun, but comes with some risks. (Check out the details here.)
  • All bookings are done online—super simple! (booking page)
  • Vaccinations are required. (See what your pup needs.)
  • We use email to keep in touch—no carrier pigeons, sorry.
  • Free tours daily at noon—come say hi before you book! You can book this online via your account.
  • We can host up to 150 dogs for holidays, but no newbies or certain breeds during these busy times (we keep things organised, not wild).
  • We always stick to our opening hours.
  • No free photo shoots, but you can book pup-dates.
  • Payment is made when you book. Need a quote first? No problem—they’re valid for 7 days.
  • Credit card info is safely stored.
  • Toys, beds, and blankets are all shared—(think neutral territory, like Switzerland), so please leave your dog’s favourite teddy at home (unless you want to donate it to the pack).
  • Prices depend on your dog’s age, weight, and more. See the price page for details.
  • Every dog gets a free bath at the end of their stay (unless your pup prefers the “natural” look).

That’s a lot of information to digest. If in doubt, please call. If we don’t answer, shoot us a text.

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