WHAT TO BRING WITH YOUR PET
Food: Please bring your pet’s regular food and treats, no dishes or scoops. Use labelled plastic bags and/or pre-measured zip-lock bags, as they easily fit inside our storage areas. Do not send food or treats that you wish to have returned.
If there are any special instructions, note them on your profile page and on the zip lock bag.
Please bring enough, but not so much extra that you want it returned. If there is a little left over it is pooled into another lidded storage container for anyone that is short.
We cater to all dogs diets including raw food but if you have any questions please contact us. All special diets should be easy for us to prepare and ideally portioned out prior to arrival.
Beds, Blankets, Bowls & Toys: Please do not bring them as things that smell like home may make your pet feel restless. Please leave beds, blankets and toys at home. Please do not bring your dogs food bowl. We have lots here and they are washed with disinfectant between uses.
Leashes & Collars: Please remember to take your pet’s collar and leash at drop-off time and bring them when you return at pickup time. Things that smell like home may make your pet feel restless. Our guests don’t wear collars, as they can become snagged in play or in the natural vegetation. Storing and returning collars and leashes takes time that we’d rather dedicate to the dogs.
Medications & Special Diets: Please do NOT put medication in your dog’s food, as this can be dangerous. All medication must be clearly marked and instructions noted on your dogs profile. Please do not bring surplus that you want returned.
We cater to all dogs diets including raw food but if you have any questions please contact us. All special diets should be easy for us to prepare and ideally portioned out prior to arrival.
Health queries
Diarrhea: This can occur for many reasons, such as changes in water or food, and simply from excitement. Like us, different water flora can affect vacationing dogs, too. We are fortunate to be in the Kettle Lake area (spring fed headwaters for Lake of Bays) and have Springhill Bottled Water Company as a neighbour. Diarrhea is always a possibility when putting your dog in any facility and not a reflection of neglect, or our financial responsibility.
Ticks & Fleas: Most of our clients use Heart Worm prevention, which also covers fleas and ticks. We do not have a problem with ticks or fleas at Happy Tails.
Parasitic Diseases: Our clients care about their pets, and use full veterinary preventative methods to keep them in good health. You should regularly test your dog’s stools and blood for parasites, or keep them on vet-approved medications.
Black-flies, Mosquitoes & Deer Flies: All are common in Muskoka and usually a dog's thick coat protects them quite well. If you know that bugs love your dog (black dogs can be particularly attractive to pesky insects) apply a 50/50 mix of canola oil and lemon juice to your dog before bringing him/her to Happy Tails. It's also good for soothing bites too.
PROOF OF VACCINATIONS:
Proof of vaccinations with validated expiry dates are required for all our guests. Please upload a PDF or photo of same into your pet's vaccination record area and input the expiry dates into the calendars. We can accept exemptions if immunity titre and/or veterinary paperwork is uploaded and validated. We require Rabies (after 4 months), D2PP and Bordetella (kennel cough). We recommend, but do not require: Leptospirosis and regular parasite prevention. Please, double-check your dog’s Bordetella vaccine. It is not a life- threatening condition and many vets do not include it, if it is not requested. Last minute Bordetella vaccinations are acceptable, as your vet would not vaccinate a sick dog. Most veterinarians will email a PDF copy of current vaccinations to the owner upon request. We cannot validate vaccinations over the phone. Rabies tags are not proof of current vaccinations.