Q. Can I get my dog groomed before I bring them for their stay at Ponderosa Pet Ranch? A. Our mission is to keep ALL dogs safe and healthy during their stay with us. For this reason please refrain from booking any grooming appointments or participating in any daycare activities 14 days prior to their stay. This also includes boarding stays at another facility and visiting your veterinary office. All vaccines need to be completed within 14 days PRIOR to your pets stay with us.
Q. Do I need to call and schedule a boarding appointment? A. For first time customers we ask that you please call and schedule upcoming boarding appointment for your dog/s.
Q. If I call and get no answer do I leave a voicemail message? A. Definitely! If you are calling during the office hours of 9-3 and no one answers the phone please know that we are working tirelessly to ensure your dog/s are receiving the best care. Please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as we are able.
Q. If I do not live in the Crystal Coast area am I able to board my dogs at your facility? A. Unfortunately, we do not take any new customers who do not live in the area. Ponderosa Pet Ranch is a small, family-owned business and we have many, many established and recurring customers that use our facility often.
Q. Why do you book out so fast? A. We are a small, family-owned business and we have 27 kennels varying in size. We have 15 of our 4ftX6ft Little Joe kennels. Our Silver Dollar is a little bigger, 4ftX8ft and we have six of those. Our next size up and we have four is our 6ftX8ft Big Hoss kennel. Finally, our biggest kennel is our 12ftX12ft Bonanza and we only have two of these big boys. Some of these kennels will house multiple dogs in a single family if the owner chooses to have their fur babies stay together. This could potentially increase our count to 35-45. Our busiest times are all weekends, the whole summer, holidays (especially holiday weekends)
Q. Should I bring my dogs own food? A. You should bring the food that your pet eats at home, this will avoid any upset tummies while staying with us, and please bag it in individual bags per meal. If food is not bagged, then PPR can bag it for a fee of 2.00 PER bag. This helps us ensure that your pet has enough food for their stay while also making sure that the amounts are correct.
Q. What if my dog eats Fresh Pet, Farmers Dog, Raw, Homemade, or any other type of wet food that needs special storing? A. We have a refrigerator to accommodate all foods that need to be stored cool. We also have a freezer used to store any food that needs to be kept frozen before thawing them out.
Q. Is in normal for my pet to experience minor behavioral changes when he or she returns home? A. Don’t worry if you notice your dog acting a little out of sorts after picking them up. It’s a normal part of the readjustment process. Many dogs exhibit increased hunger, thirst, and lethargy the first few days after coming home from the kennel. Some dogs may seem distant from their owners, while others will be overly clingy. Sometimes dogs may also experience diarrhea. While diarrhea may seem alarming, it just means your dog is comfortable and excited to be back. Many owners are concerned that this means that their dog has picked up a stomach bug while boarding. However, this is very unlikely. Here at Ponderosa Pet Ranch we are very diligent with cleaning while also ensuring every pet is up to date with their preventative care. In fact, little diarrhea in the first 48 hours after returning home is actually very normal and is often simply due to the excitement that your dog feels about coming back to an environment and people that he loves. You may even notice a little mucus or blood in his bowel movements. Nevertheless, if diarrhea persists more than 48 hours, or is accompanied by other worrying symptoms such as not drinking, it is advisable to get him checked out by your veterinarian.
Q. Should I book a trial stay to see how my dog will do while boarding? A. If you’re unsure how your dog will respond to the boarding experience, you can always conduct a trial run by boarding them overnight. It may cost a little extra time and money, but it will be well worth the peace of mind you get from knowing your dog is at least somewhat familiar with their surroundings while you’re away. Our staff also spends extra one-on-one time with all new first timers since they are in a new environment.
Q. What if my dog eats and drinks a lot after returning home? A. Dogs naturally eat and drink less while they are in boarding – something which is generally down to it being a new environment and them feeling less comfortable than they would at home. As a result, they tend to try and catch up on their calories when they get home and will also drink more. This is something that should go back to normal within a few days.
Q. Should I bring his or her treats? A. Yes! However, please refrain from bringing any rawhide or small bones that could potentially get lodged in your pet’s throat.
Q. Do I need to pack their pill bottles? A. Please keep all prescriptions in the original bottles while also packing whatever you use to give them their medication ie: pill pockets, cheese, hotdogs, peanut butter, etc… DO NOT put the medication in pill pockets or anything else as this will cause the medication to start dissolving and make is less effective.
Q. Should I bring food and water bowls? A. No! We provide food and water dishes. Please bring your dog’s slow feeder if he or she uses one at home. Same thing goes for a raised feeder. Please do not bring any glass or ceramic dishes as these could break and become a safety issue.
Q. What if my dog uses a bed? A. We provide beds, cots, and blankets. You may bring your dogs bed from home if you choose but also keep in mind that we provide them. Ponderosa Pet Ranch is not responsible for any lost or damaged items. Please refrain from bringing beds w/ no removable cover, large blankets or comforters. If it cannot go into a standard washing machine do not bring it.
Q. Can I bring toys? A. Yes! You can bring up to two (2) of your babies favorite toys.
Q. What vaccines does my pet need? A. Your dog must be up to date on Rabies, DHLPP (distemper/parvo), and Bordetella. Please have these done 14 days prior to your dog’s boarding reservation. This ensures that there are no vaccine reactions while also providing the immunity to build up in their system.
Q. What is check in and check out time? A. Monday through Saturday check in/check out time is 9am to 3pm. If pickup occurs after 12pm there is a 1/2-day additional boarding fee charged. Sunday check in/check out time is 9-10am for no additional fee and 4-5pm for an additional 1/2-day boarding fee.
Q. Can I check in early or check out late? A. You may but this NEEDS to be approved by management and if approved there is a 20.00 fee charged.
Q. Why are my pet’s collar’s removed? A. We remove all collars except flea collars for safety reasons.
Q. Can my dog get a bath and a nail trim before leaving for home? A. Yes they can! We offer baths and nail trims please let us know if you would like one when checking in. Prices for baths are according to weight and are listed in detail under the services tab on this site.
Q. How far in advance should I make my reservations? A. Rule of thumb, make them as soon as you know the dates. Keep in mind holidays, weekends, and summer months tend to book up very fast. We can book as far in advance as you need.
Q. Can I tour the facility prior to arrival? A. Yes you can call and schedule a tour anytime
Q. What are your office hours? A. The office is open 9-3 Monday through Saturday and Sunday 9-10 and 4-5. Outside of these hours your dog is being cared for by our amazing staff.
Q. Can someone other than myself drop off or pick up my dog? A. Yes, but please contact us prior to arrival to make the proper arrangements.
Q. What method of payments do you accept, and do I pay when I drop off or pick up? A. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and cash. No personal or business checks will be accepted. Payment is due at checkout.
Q. What if I need to cancel my dog’s reservation? A. We understand that things happen but please let us know if you need to cancel. Up to two days prior to your pet’s reservation there is no charge. If you cancel one day before you are supposed to be here, there is a 10% boarding fee that will be charged. If you need to cancel on the same day that your pet is scheduled to be here, the fee will be 25%. There will be a 50% boarding fee charged if you cancel after final confirmations are made for all major holidays. Easter, Good Friday, and all days of Spring break are considered the same holiday.
Q. Do I need to call when I need to schedule a boarding reservation? A? Please call the Ranch to schedule your pet’s boarding reservation. We need to convey important information for you pet’s stay and we also need to obtain a credit or debit card to HOLD the reservation.
Q. Do my dogs play with other dogs while boarding? A. NO! Unless your dog is boarding with a household relative, or it is agreed upon by all owners and staff that they can play together. At this moment, we are currently not conducting any Daycare activities!!
Q. Do I need to provide behavioral and health information? Is it important for me to keep this information up to date? A. Upon your first visit there is some paperwork that needs to be filled out. In order to expedite the check in process please have all the required paperwork filled out and sent to Ponderosa Pet Ranch. Please have your dog’s vet send updated vaccines as you get them done. We will update our system accordingly. You can email all paperwork to ponderosapetranch@yahoo.com
Q. What if I have a question that is not answered above? A. Please call us during office hours and we well have an answer for you. If we do not answer the phone, please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as we can. Feel free to send us a text anytime as well. 252-808-5029