Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. Training is central to everything here. It happens through Well Mannered Dog, our sister company under this same roof. Every dog starts on the training side, through Explorers Orientation or a full program, where they build the emotional resilience that makes group play work. Same team, same building. We teach it, and we help your dog live it every day.

Because a yard full of dogs who share the same skills is a calmer, safer, happier yard. When every guest knows how to join play calmly, leave calmly, and settle when it’s time to rest, our team spends less time refereeing and more time playing. Training happens with our sister company, Well Mannered Dog, under this same roof. It’s the reason the days here feel the way they do.

Yes, at minimum our Explorers Orientation. Even a beautifully trained dog has never been trained here. Explorers teaches your dog the ropes of Chucktown Charley: the flow of the day, how to enter group play calmly and leave calmly, the words we use, our style of play and our style of rest. It’s also where they get to know our team and find their best friends.

Veterinarian proof of current Rabies, Distemper/Parvo, and Bordetella vaccinations for every guest.

Yes. Intact males older than nine months carry a $25 per day surcharge. Females in heat cannot stay with us, since the hormones they release can stress the other dogs. If a female goes into heat unexpectedly during a stay, a $25 per day surcharge applies.

Guests can start at eight weeks old, beginning with Explorers Orientation.

We love our seniors. Chucktown Hospitality is our care package built for dogs with mobility considerations, extra potty break needs, multiple medications, and anything else that calls for a gentler rhythm. Being a boutique facility means we have the time to give it.

Playcare is priced by the day, by package:

• Playful Essentials · $42.95 per day. A full day of private and social play, plus enrichment activities designed to build confidence, sharpen problem solving, and send your dog home happily tired.
• Perpetual Performance · $59.95 per day. Everything in Playful Essentials, plus learning games that keep the skills your dog built at Well Mannered Dog fresh, engaged, and fun.
• Climb Higher · $84.95 per day. Everything in Perpetual Performance, plus one-on-one skills sessions with a Well Mannered Dog trainer and relaxation work. Reserved for graduates of a signature training program.
• Chucktown Hospitality. Our special needs package, priced to your dog’s individual care plan.

We also offer discounted, pre-paid playcare subscriptions. Ask us about the options.

Lodging is priced to your dog’s customized care package. We’ll walk you through it when you reach out, so you’ll know your exact rate before your dog’s first stay.

For our established families, yes. Go Home Fresh includes a bath, blow out, ear cleaning, and nail trim, and most guests head home with one after a stay. Enhancements like nail grinding, a blueberry facial, paw pad and nose conditioning, and a de-shedding treatment can be added to any bath. We don’t offer haircuts. Ask us for current spa pricing when you book.

8:00 to 9:30 each morning and 4:30 to 6:00 each evening, seven days a week. Earlier drop-off is available by appointment. On rainy days, pull up and we’ll bring your dog to your car.

We’re closed for pick-ups and drop-offs on major holidays, but our team is here through the day, caring for and playing with every guest.

After the last tuck-in of the night, no, and we’d rather tell you exactly how our overnights work than leave it vague. Every guest sleeps in their own room with fresh bedding. The building is protected by an alarm system and monitored cameras that alert our team to movement or barking, and our local fire department knows our facility well, down to exactly where the dogs sleep. We built our overnights around one idea: if anything stirs, we know.

Your dog’s own food, portioned into one bag per day and labeled with their name. Staying on their own food keeps their digestion steady and their stay comfortable. If you forget, we’ll serve our house food at $5 per meal.

Medications come in their original containers, marked with your dog’s name and dosage. Please tell us about any changes in health or medication since your dog’s last visit. For everyone’s safety, dogs on behavior-altering medication enjoy individual play rather than group play.

Leave beds and toys at home. We provide fresh bedding, blankets, and plenty of enrichment toys.

We contact you first. If we can’t reach you and your dog needs prompt care, we take them to their regular veterinarian, and if that isn’t possible, to the nearest veterinarian. Your dog is never left waiting on a phone call.

Reservations are required for playcare and lodging. An $80 per dog deposit holds your reservation and is non-refundable. Most holidays carry a two-night minimum for lodging.

If a playcare guest isn’t picked up by close of business, a $1 per minute charge applies for the first fifteen minutes. After that, your dog lodges with us overnight at the standard nightly rate, cozy and cared for, ready for pick-up when we open the next morning.

Text us any time. One of your dog’s favorite team members will answer. And if you’d like photos waiting on your phone, add our Pupparazzi package to any stay and we’ll happily play photographer.