Canine Activity Center and Boarding
Only dogs that are members at Miss Daisy's may attend the activity center and board at camp. At the current time we have no room for new members.
Activity Center A day at the Canine Activity Center is structured to provide your dog with physical exercise, mental enrichment, appropriate rest periods and customized play and activities best suited to them. Dogs should be allowed to walk in on a standard 4- or 6-foot leash. We do not allow retractable leashes at camp for safety reasons. Seeing how a dog approaches our office door gives us valuable information on how much they enjoy coming, so please don't carry them in your arms or pull them towards the door if they are hesitant.
Upon arrival, each dog will be given a private area in our canine cafe to enjoy breakfast. You can bring your dog's food or we can provide an appropriate morning snack. This activity provides mental stimulation many dogs are lacking. Plus, they have FUN!
Breakfast is followed by a potty break and subsequent play time. Because each dog's personality and play style is different, dogs are divided into small groups of no more than 5 or are given one-on-one play time with an employee trained in canine learning and behavior.
By rotating play time and rest time, we ensure dogs are never overly tired or stressed. Play groups are organized by dog size, energy level, play style and activity preference. This allows us to engage your dog in activities they enjoy - agility, FitPAWS, running, chasing balls, popping bubbles, tug games, hide and seek... virtually anything your pup enjoys! This type of play isn't safely possible in larger groups of dogs. Each play session lasts 20-30 minutes, which is typically the length of time most dogs can play before needing to rest, either in a formal nap time or with quiet, supervised cuddle time with a person. Groups of dogs are alternated throughout the day so each group gets individualized attention and activity when they are out and quality rest time when they are not.
Upon request, and for an additional charge, we can implement a custom day training plan for your dog that can be woven into their daily schedule. Would you like your dog to learn polite greeting skills or to love a crate? Do you need assistance with obedience cues? Would you like your dog to learn to relax on his or her bed while you eat dinner? We can start the training at the activity center and schedule a home consult to show you how to continue the training yourself. All of our training methods are humane and force-free. We will never use choke, pinch or shock collars on your dog. We will never squirt them with a water bottle or startle them with loud noises or yelling or hits, taps or pinches.
Dogs who participate in day training will work with a trainer multiple times per day in short, but frequent sessions. We have found that is the optimal way to get them to learn new behaviors.
Our facility has ample indoor play areas, so inclement weather does not affect our ability to exerise, play and interact with your furry family member.
We require dogs to attend at least two days in our activity center each month. This helps your dog stay familiar and comfortable with our facility and staff and allows us to stay familiar with your dog and his or her personality and preferences.
The activity center is available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at Saturday or each week (except holidays). You may drop off your dog anytime from 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM and pick up anytime from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. On Saturdays, drop off is 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM and pick up is from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM. The campers will play either outside or indoors depending on the weather and will alternate play time with rest time. Rest time is very important for activity center dogs so they do not become overly tired. We can almost guarantee you that the last dogs to be picked up are not playing; they are napping while waiting for their rides home!!
Each activity center member books a minimum of 2 preselected days each month. Those prescheduled days are paid for whether your pup can attend camp or not. You can also reserve additional days but must call ahead to make a reservation to make sure we can accommodate your pup on those days.
Boarding It is best to drop off dogs that will be boarded in the morning hours. This way they will get plenty of play time on their first day and it will be easier for them to settle at night.
At Miss Daisy’s, we pay special attention to a dog’s dietary routine to ensure a happy and healthy pet. Please bring a sufficient supply of your own dog food. We do not recommend a sudden change in your dog’s diet. Along with food, please supply written feeding and medication instructions. Don’t be embarrassed to note special things you may do in preparation of the food. We would prefer to keep them on their normal routine and have done many "unique" things during feeding time.
We will accommodate feeding raw diets.
There is no need to bring your own bowls or measuring cups, we have plenty. Please make sure anything you bring, has your camper’s name clearly marked. When your dog is boarding with us, you are charged a full day for the drop off date, regardless of the time you drop off. On the pick up day, you are not charged for your dog's final day of boarding if they are picked up during morning hours. If your dog is picked up during afternoon/evening hours, you are charged the full boarding rate for that day.
Only dogs that are in our activity center program and have consistently attended at least once per month will be allowed to board. This is done for the comfort and health of your dog. Dogs who attend the activity center regularly and remain familiar with the facility and our staff are much less likely to develop stress-related health problems during their stay with us.