’Tis the Season… to Plan Ahead!
The last thing we want to do is make you feel rushed or promote a false sense of urgency. We know how “amusing” it is when stores move right from back-to-school sales to promoting Halloween costumes; then Thanksgiving before Halloween is even over; then right into Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa/Etc. long before Black Friday. Then it’s the New Year and we’re all wondering what just happened. We get it. This is definitely not that type of situation.
However, we do feel it’s our responsibility to share a tiny reminder: if you think you may need to board or groom your dog at some point prior to or during the holidays, we recommend you take a moment and schedule now.
Why Schedule Now for the Holidays?
For starters, it’s easy to do and will make you feel that much more prepared for what’s ahead. But, most importantly, we want to make sure we can accommodate your schedule. Every year we have to explain to some of our most devoted customers that we’re simply booked through the holidays, and that hurts.
The Services that Book Fastest
Dog Grooming — As you can imagine, dog grooming is a very, very popular service as we approach the holidays. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve typically experienced our first wet, muddy days and as wonderful as your dog may think he/she looks in that patina of dirt and burs, you and your house guests may hold a different opinion. Particularly if you have a pooch that loves to greet guests enthusiastically with their front paws on fancy clothes.
Happy Hound’s “Bark & Howl Day Spa” offers a range of grooming services, from a basic wash to stylish trims. We provide a variety of shampoos, including hypoallergenic, organic, and non-scented. Happy Hound even offers a “waterless” shampoo for a quick clean. Naturally, our trained staff can handle de-matting and brush outs.
Dog Boarding — This is the service most people wished they had scheduled well in advance. Happy Hound has lots of space, but it’s not unlimited, so the holidays generally find us with no vacancy. The obvious reason dog boarding is so popular is because people travel to see family and friends at this time of year, which often means leaving their loved one at home. As you can imagine, it can be a very frustrating experience to have your trip planned and tickets purchased, only to find that your canine companion has no place safe to stay.
If you schedule ahead of the rush, we can ensure that your dog has space in one of our climate controlled, comfortable sleeping areas. Our guests enjoy soft, clean bedding, holiday music, and an attentive on-site staff to watch over them.
Please note that for the comfort of all our guests, we require all first-time boarders to have spent a minimum of two visits of daycare prior to staying overnight. This is because your dog will have a far more enjoyable stay if they’ve had the opportunity to spend time with other dogs within our facility, as well as a chance to interact with our staff. Finding time for those two dog daycare visits is another reason to plan ahead.
Dog Daycare — Happy Hound’s daycare/playcare service is particularly popular for those folks who have realized that sometimes they need a break to do some shopping or attend some social gatherings. Rather than leave their furry friend at home and alone, they like to treat them to some doggie daycare sessions so everyone can enjoy a relaxed evening when the day’s activities are over.
At Happy Hound, we realize that not all dogs agree on what makes for a fun day at the club. That’s why we have a range of options depending upon your dog’s size, age, and personality. Some dogs are large and playful, some are small and shy, and some even suffer from a bit of separation anxiety. We cater to all!
Our playrooms include:
- Big Hound Town… for “the Big Dogs”
- Middle Hound Town… which caters to the active
- Little Hound Town… for the tiny
- Lounge Around Town… for seniors
- Puppy Park… for the youngsters
These playrooms offer:
- Natural lighting through abundant skylights
- Indoor and outdoor access
- Top-of-the-line doggy beds
- Ample supply of fresh, clean water
- Play structures
- Climbing structures
- Splash pools when weather allows
- Superior staff-to-dog ratio
- Air conditioning and heating
- PetAirapy air purification system
Dog Training — Understandably, dog training is not quite as urgent as boarding, but many people want their canine companions to be on best behavior during the busy, indoor social season that often accompanies the holidays. In some cases, some people even consider completion of a dog training course to be a gift to themselves, with the benefits being a lifetime of improved communications and better manners.
Happy Hound offers a wide range of dog training programs, from our “Beginner’s” class, which takes place weekly over the course of four afternoons, all the way to our “Passive Aggressive Recovery Package”, which is a 28-day program designed to address severe dog/human aggression, as well as separation anxiety. We’re confident we have a program designed to suit your dog’s needs. But, once again, the holidays are a busy time of year for our trainers, so please consider scheduling well in advance.
From Our Hearts to Your Happy Hound
We have one more reminder to share: please remember that the holidays can be a particularly stressful time for your dog. Part of this can be because the holidays are sometimes a stressful time for humans, and dogs sense our moods. But even if you remain calm, relaxed, and positively joyful throughout the season, the holidays are often accompanied by new house guests, potentially loud and festive gatherings, and often more periods of separation than normal.
So, as we all brace for the holidays, let’s take a moment to see the season through the eyes of our beloved furry friends. They may need some extra attention and perhaps a quiet, familiar space to escape the merriment when festivities peak.
Let Happy Hound Help
If you anticipate an unusual schedule or special needs during the holidays, we invite you to get in touch with us now to discuss how Happy Hound may be able to help.
Happy Hound: Dog Daycare / Boarding / Grooming / Training — Oakland, CA
“Your dog will love it here!”. That’s our motto and that’s our goal, for every dog, every day of the year. We’re located at 2101 Mandela Parkway in Oakland, offering a safe, clean, modern facility designed with a dog’s best interests in mind. We invite you to come see how happy a dog can be on those occasions when they can’t be with the one they love most. Hope to see you soon!