Many things make Scruffys special. Many of our staff have been with us over or coming up to 10 years. We don’t have a revolving door of casuals. We have one of the most flexible daycare centre spaces in Australia. With our unique and specially designed removable fence system we have up to four play areas available giving staff lots of flexibility when choosing an appropriate play group for each dog, big or small, young or old, working breed or non-working breed.
How often should my dog come to day care?
Dogs attend Scruffys every day, a few times a week or even just one day a week to give them a day out. It's up to you whether your dog comes casually or regularly however we recommend that a dog will be happier and better socialised by attending daycare at least 1-2 times per week.
How many groups do you have?
With our unique and specially designed removable fence system we have between one to four play areas available depending on the dogs attending for that day.
How will my dog be grouped?
We have about 4-5 groups each day ranging from puppy to powerful large breeds. All our dogs are carefully grouped each morning into the appropriate group we think is best suited to their age/size and temperament.
My dog is advanced in age – can they come to daycare?
For older dogs or dogs with special needs we can offer areas that are less active (helping the staff at reception or supervising admin is a favourite task of many of our regulars!).
Do you cater for puppies?
We have a special puppy and young dog group. With strong and large breed puppies we may group separately to the fluffies depending on play style, strength, age and temperament.
Does my puppy have to have all their puppy vaccinations before that can attend daycare?
In short, yes. Some vets say they are ok after the first two however most vets agree that they need to have completed their puppy vacs for one to two weeks before attending. We have chosen to make this our policy and then its fair for everyone.
How is my dog assessed?
We take your dog through to the daycare and while they are on a lead, we introduce them to a specially set-up area with some of our regular daycare dogs who we know very well and who we trust to be very welcoming to a new dog. We want your dog to have a wander and a smell. Once we a confident they are relaxed and comfortable we will release them to play for a few minutes to see what their play style is. That’s it. We are very experienced at this process. We’ll give you feedback and suggest a good day for them to attend based on which dogs are in those days.
What do I do if my dog fails their assessment?
We do not accept any aggressive behaviour and if a dog is too anxious in a group environment, they may not be suitable for daycare. For any dog that may fail their initial assessment we can recommend further training to help with their fears. In many cases we have welcomed dogs back into daycare after a second assessment and they have thrived.
My dog is a ‘gazelle’ – can they come to daycare?
Dogs who can jump our fences (1.2high) are a challenge for us. It means we may not be able to keep them in the play group we deem most suitable. Also jumping fences increases the risk of injury. If this is the case with your dog, we will give you feedback and, in many cases, once the dog is more familiar and settled, they stop trying to visit every group! In some cases, they may not be suitable for daycare though this is rare.
What about feeding a meal during the day?
Generally, we don’t offer a feeding service as that would mean separating out each dog at mealtime. However, we are happy for you to bring a meal in for your young puppy if they like lunch.
Is there anything I need to do or bring for my dog’s first day?
We ask that as much as possible all dogs are toileted before they arrive. Also have had brekky – it’s a busy day and they might need something in their tummy if they are a two-meal a day pooch. Please bring them in in a quick release collar – it’s a safety requirement in case they were to get caught in something – we can release them quickly. We do sell embroidered, quick release collars – these can be ordered at reception.
Do you ever have fights at Scruffys?
Fights are very rare at Scruffys as we eliminate aggressive dogs at the assessment stage. However aggressive behaviour varies from overly rough play, play humping, play nipping, aggressive barking or a passing nip while chasing a ball or dog. Our approach is to focus on prevention, and this works 99% of the time.
What about if my dog gets in a fight at daycare?
If your dog gets in a fight or even is involved in any incident or injured in any way, we will call you immediately and report the incident. An incident report is filled out and we will we give a full account of the incident and discuss next steps. If two dogs are involved in a fight, we will try to ascertain the instigator and if necessary that dog will not be able to attend again until their behaviour changes.
Housekeeping:
PLEASE do not park in any of our neighbour’s driveways. They will call the police or the rangers. Please do pick up your dog’s poo if they poo outside or up the street. We want to maintain our good reputation as excellent neighbours. Please note our carpark is only for you, our valued clients, to use when you drop-off/pick-up your dog.
