The dog is the most faithful of animal and would be much esteemed were it not so common.
Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.
Martin Luther King
Details Stuff:
We believe that the best approach to feeding your dog is to maintain the same diet he is familiar with at home. Sudden changes in his diet could lead to an upset tummy, diarrhea, or vomiting. For this reason we recommend that you prepare your dogs food IN A TUPPERWARE, TUB OR TIN TYPE CONTAINER. No baggies, please. Treats are always welcome
Please note: It is not necessary to package each meal individually.
We will gladly administer veterinarian-prescribed medications at no extra charge. Please make sure that your dog's name, dose and veterinarian's name are clearly marked on the label of the original medication container. Additionally, on the Client Information Form, please provide a list of medications with instructions including dosage, how and when each medication is to be administered. Vaccination information here >>
THE SMITHS is an exceptionally clean and comfortable living environment. Although rare, there are fleas and ticks in Colorado. Also, if you have recently taken your dog out of state for vacation or a hunting trip, there is a chance that he has been exposed to fleas or ticks. In these cases, we recommend that some type of veterinarian recommended flea control product be used on your dog prior to boarding with us. Popular brands include Program, Advantage and Frontline. Please consult your veterinarian to determine the brand of flea control that would be best for your dog.
All dogs must be in good health unless we have made special arrangements to care for an ailing dog. Additionally, their coats must be well-groomed, free of mats, and generally clean. We also require that all dogs be up-to-date with their immunizations and be current with flea control. We cannot accept any dogs that are coughing or sneezing, or have vomited or had diarrhea in the last 48 hours. If your dog has had loose stool, vomiting, lethargy, or hair loss in the week previous to his arrival for boarding or evaluation, you must call to get approval. If your dog has ever tested positive for Giardia and/or has intermittent loose stools, we may require a negative fecal check. Please call before your pet’s arrival for further instructions! If your dog or puppy has any hair loss on his face or body, please call for further instructions. We may not be able to take them for an evaluation or boarding until it resolves. On admission, all dogs must be free from any condition which could potentially jeopardize the health of other boarding guests. Dogs who have been ill with a communicable condition in the last 30 days will require a veterinarian's certification of health prior to being admitted.
Behavior: To be accepted for boarding at THE SMITHS, dogs must be well-mannered, socialized and friendly to all dogs and all people in all circumstances. Dogs that are too dominant or too alpha do not do well in this style of boarding. We are extremely cautious concerning the following:
Unneutered males over the age of 7 months will be accepted only after a very careful observation period determined by The Smiths and may need to play alone. Even if these dogs are very friendly, they may be seen as a potential threat by other dogs and are more likely to provoke aggression.
Females in season will not be accepted for admission. Dogs not housebroken or incontinent will not be accepted for admission.
Barking: Barking is a natural canine behavior that THE SMITHS take great care in managing, controlling and eliminating. Habitual, chronic, nuisance barkers will not be accepted into the THE SMITHS program. We do not rehabilitate barkers. If you have a dog that has ever required the use of a bark control collar of any kind, the collar must accompany your dog with every visit. Failure to bring the collar will result in your dog being sequestered until your return. We may not have to use the collar, however, we will keep it handy in order to mitigate any tendency toward excessive barking.
Caution Breeds: Great Pyrenees, Mountain Dogs, Akita Inus, and all the Spitz breeds will be assessed on an individual basis for various concerns. Dogs of these breeds are generally well-mannered if they have received proper social training early on in life.
Prohibited Breeds: Pit Bull terriers, Chow Chows, Bull Mastiffs, Dobermans, Rottweilers and Shar Peis will not be accepted in the program unless they have been “raised” as a client at THE SMITHS since puppyhood.
