Welcome to Wonder Dog Ranch…
…where your dog is a Wonder Dog and can happily play in our friendly herd!
On this page, you’ll find helpful information about how we run things here and what we need from you to make sure your dog’s time spent at the Ranch is fun, healthy, safe, and entertaining.
To support all the dogs (and their people) who visit the Ranch, we have safety as our first priority, and these policies and procedures are an integral part of assuring positive experiences at Wonder Dog Ranch.
Enroll your Dog:
Good Behavior: Dogs are enrolled at the Ranch before their stay with a free evaluation session. These appointments allow us to get to know your dogs and introduce them to Ranch operations which helps make them comfortable for future visits. We collect necessary documentation from you and then we assess your dogs’ temperament, play style, and sociability in order to enjoy group play in our cage-free environment or for private care. We ask that you certify that your dog(s) have not exhibited threatening behavior or harm towards other dogs or humans. Even with supervision, we remind you that your dog may harm another dog or could likewise be harmed, and you are responsible for your dog(s) behavior in all cases. Private-care dogs will be given appropriate time to exercise and will enjoy individual play periods.
Good Health: All dogs must be in good health. We rely on you to certify the dogs’ good health and that dogs are free of any communicable condition at least 30 days prior to attendance. If there has been some condition within that time, we require a veterinary certification of current health and lack of transmissibility.
Vaccines: All dogs who stay at Wonder Dog Ranch need to be vaccinated with verification or titers from your veterinarian for: Rabies, Bordetella, and Core vaccines that at a minimum cover Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus and may be identified as DHPP, DAPP, DHLPP or other acronyms. We recommend additional coverage for Canine Flu and Leptospirosis as these have seen increased infection rates in LA County.
Preventives for Parasites: All dogs need to be on an ongoing program of regular flea/tick prevention. We do not accept a “flea collar” as a preventive. Topicals or pills (such as Frontline, Advantage, Fiproguard, PetArmor, Trifexis, Simparica, Sentinel) are acceptable treatments. Dogs should be wormed and have blood and fecal tests regularly. We strongly recommend heartworm medication. If it is noticed that your dog exhibits symptoms of parasite infestation, proof of a clean fecal exam will be required before another visit. If we find fleas on your dog, we will treat immediately with Capstar or similar medication and charges will apply.
Schedule your visit:
Reservations/Cancellations/Refunds: Advance notice/reservations are requested for visits to the Ranch for both daycare and boarding, as it helps us know how many and which dogs will be in attendance. We request notice of cancelled plans to help us plan staffing requirements. During busy seasons, we may require a nonrefundable deposit to hold a reservation. Early departures of greater than 48 hours ahead of the anticipated checkout may be eligible for refunds in the form of credit for future visits; but we do not issue cash refunds.
Arrival and Departure: We expect that without special advance arrangements, your dog will be dropped off and picked up during normal operating hours, and we encourage specific appointment times for arrivals and departures. If you need such an appointment outside of our normal operating hours, please schedule in advance. We know that travel schedules can change, and we never want to cause additional inconvenience or worry, so please take our contact information with you when your dog is at the Ranch and inform us of schedule updates. We will accommodate your needs as best we are able, but charges may apply.
Fees: We offer four kinds of stays: full daycare, half-days (up to 5 hours of your choosing), boarding (overnight, beginning at time of reservation and 24 hours thereafter) and private care. Charges are payable upon arrival or with pre-purchased packages. Fees for boarding, less any reservation deposit, are also payable at arrival. Additional charges for unplanned incidentals and/or extra services are payable at the time of pick-up.
Special Services: Feel free to ask about any special needs for your dog (or you!) as we are happy to try to accommodate. We have taken dogs to weddings, photo shoots, and special events; we can arrange transportation for scheduled grooming or veterinary appointments if necessary while your dog is at the Ranch. Charges will vary depending on the services you need.
What you and your dog need:
Leashes/Collars: Dogs must be in your control and on a leash and collar when entering and leaving the Ranch. Dogs may wear quick-release collars in group play, but any other type of collar will be removed for play.
Food: We recommend you bring your dogs’ regular food when they stay at the Ranch, and we will ask for instructions for feeding times and amounts. For food that you bring, please label containers (baggies or plastic or metal containers, never any glass) labeled with your name and that of your dog(s). We have limited amounts of refrigeration, and cannot be responsible for raw food diets without special advance arrangements. If you do not provide food, or if yours runs out, we will provide a high-quality dry kibble and charges will apply.
Treats: Treats are often used at the Ranch as a reward and incentive for good behavior. Unless we are notified to the contrary or if there are dietary restrictions, we may give small, healthy treats to our Ranchers. If special treats or dental chews are part of your dogs regular routine, please bring those along for your dog.
Bedding, toys, and stuff: You don’t need to, but you are welcome to bring toys, bedding or blankets, or something like an old shirt if you think your dog will be comforted by the familiarity of such. We will inventory your items upon arrival and do our best to see that the items are not damaged; but dogs will be dogs, so if the items are irreplaceable, probably best to keep them at home. We will provide our best beds, blankets and appropriate toys to keep them happy.
Medical needs: We can administer medications or perform procedures (such as eye drops or insulin shots) when your dog is at the Ranch just as your vet directs you to do at home. Medications must be in original packaging and labeled with the vet’s name, your name, and the dog’s name. If the dog has a reaction or otherwise becomes ill while staying at the Ranch, we will immediately call you, your emergency contacts, your vet and/or our consulting veterinarian to determine a course of action. If unable to reach you or your designees, we will take reasonable measures to assure the safety of the your dog as you have authorized in the Service Agreement. Charges may apply.
Anything we forgot?
Ranchers have a tradition of helping their neighbors and after doing this for a decade or so, we have lots of ideas and information about our community of dogs and their folks. We want to be a resource for you and your furry, four-legged, family-member. If you think we can help you with something, or if you want to suggest that we change the way we operate, we’d love to hear your thoughts.
While you can’t change these Policies & Procedures, and Prices, we can… so please give us your feedback so we can think about making the right changes.