| how
are you a socially responsible business? |
1.
We buy products that are fair trade.
2. We support local businesses and artisans.
3. We purchase green products and actively contribute to decreasing
landfill contributions through reuse.
Disclaimer: There are few quality choices
for socially responsible and sustainably made pet products.
Whenever possible, we carry them. We have had to make some
painful compromises in order to bring your pet products. We
are always looking for manufacturer’s
that share our values. If you know of one, please tell us. |
| how are you
a green business? |
1. We are
a Certified Green Business in Contra Costa County.
2. We are members of the Richmond Green Business Council.
3. We only buy green products.
4. Our Center is on a filtered water system
5. Our construction materials are sustainable, non-polluting, and whenever possible
purchased from a reuse company.
6. Coming in 2008, our poop will light up the night. Our fecal waste will be
turned into methane fuel.
|
| what is a
positive reinforcement center? |
We believe
that positive methods of training and handling are the best
practices in working with our dog guests. We do not use
negative consequences or behavior suppression to manage the
dogs and cats in our care. We use positive redirection and
train our staff to maintain a healthy relationship of boundaries
and positive management.
All classes and presenters and dog handlers at Metro Dog ascribe
to a positive reinforcement philosophy. |
| what is social
boarding? |
Social boarding
allows your dog to be housed with one to two other dogs at
night. All dog rooms are supervised
by our overnight staff. |
| do you have
private boarding? |
Yes, we offer
private rooms for $55-75/night, depending on the needs of
your dog.
If your dog can spend their day in social groups,
the fee is $55 for a private room.
If your dog must be cared
for solo, ie. is not able to spend time in social groups,
the fee is $75 per day for private boarding.
A dog that boards privately
receives 3 -15 minute mini play sessions alone with a handler
in our play yards and one private
30 minute play session per day. |
| how much time
will my dog get to play with other dogs when boarding? |
A lot! But
with a lot of down time too!
Our dog guests are put in groups with dogs that are of similar
size and play style. We do not put more than 15 dogs together
with one handler. The dogs spend their day moving with their
pack through our various and ample yards, both indoor and
outdoor. We offer rest time between play sessions to mimic
their natural rhythms. |
| do you need
to meet my dog or cat betore they stay at Metro Dog? |
Yes, for all
potential Metro Dog clients. We offer Open
Enrollment every
Friday and Sunday between 11am – 3pm at Metro
Dog. The assessment is free, and takes about half an hour. |
| what
do you consider to be a "puppy" vs an "adult?" |
We consider a
puppy to be an 8 - 16 week old dog. We have created a specialized
program for puppies of this age. We consider an adult to be
any dog over 16 weeks, for the purposes of our daily schedule
of activities. |
| do you walk
dogs? |
Yes! From
your home, we offer
group and neighborhood walks, house
calls ,
and overnight
pet sitting services.
From Metro Dog, we offer daily private walks and social group
walks. Private walks enjoy leashed time on
the trails of Albany Hill, which we walk to from the Center.
Social
group dogs enjoy leashed or off-leash time at one of the
local East Bay Regional Parks, most notably Pt. Isabel or
the Albany Bulb. |
| what vaccines
do you require? |
We follow the
ABKA and holistic veterinary associations’ guidelines
for vaccinations, requiring Rabies, Bordetella, and DHP.
We accept annual titer test results for rabies and DHP. Please
see our vaccine policy page to learn more about
these vaccines! |
| what is your
community library? |
Our Community
Resource Center is a full education Center which includes
a well-stocked library. It is a free multi-media resource
for you to use. Come read our books and watch our DVDs on
the library couch.
Come. Sit. Stay. Learn! |
| what is your
community lecture series? |
Coming in
2008, we will bring you leading experts on topics of interest
and you come to hear their presentations.
Lectures are always
free! You do not need to be a MEtro Dog client to take advantage
of the lecture series. Visit our Calendar to see upcoming
listings. |
| do I need
to be a Metro Dog member or customer to come to the free community
workshops? |
No, our events are always free unless otherwise specified, and they are all
open to everyone. |
| if my dog
is not staying at Metro Dog, can I still schedule a full grooming
appointment at Spruce? |
Yes, you can
schedule a FULL grooming appointment.
Unfortunately, we do NOT take appointments for bathing unless
your dog is a day care or boarding guest at Metro Dog! We
also do not offer self-service bathing. We encourage you
to use one of the many other local resources for drop-in & self
service baths, such as Mud Puppies, Pet Smart, and Pet Food
Express. |
| What
is the difference between 20 visit
day care cards and Metro
Dollar prepaid packages? |
Both programs
offer great savings!
20 Visit
Day Care Cards offer 20 visits for 15% savings on the
$30 daily fee for day care, bringing the cost to $25.50
per day. A 20 visit card is a $600 value for $510. They
are good for 6 months, the most liberal offering in the
area.
Metro Dollars never
expire. You pay an upfront amount of money, which we
add value to, and then you use them for whatever services
you like, both at the Center or from your home. Dog families
can purchase a package cooperatively to further stretch their
dollar. |
| do you offer
private training sessions? |
Yes. Alison
Smith offers private behavior coaching
sessions here at Metro Dog. Please see our Private
Consultation page for more information. |
| can my dog
receive training while staying at Metro Dog? |
We can combine
training sessions while your dog is staying here for day care
or boarding. A great option for families with little time!
Please see our Rates & Packages page
for more information. |
| what happens
if my pet gets sick or is injured while at Metro Dog? |
While in our
care, we will make sure that your dog or cat receives the necessary
veterinary attention. We contact you or your emergency contact
immediately if there is any medical issue. |
| do you have
live web cams? |
Unfortunately
no. We have 7 different play and hang out areas for dog guests.
It is not feasible to stream web cams throughout. Besides,
we wouldn’t want to get you into trouble at work! |
| do I bring
my pet's food when they stay at Metro Dog? |
We prefer it
if you do! We
will feed your pet his/her own food while they are a guest
here at no charge. We also offer meals of our house kibble
(we proudly serve Prairie) at $2 a meal. If there is prep involved
for the food you bring, or medications that need to be administered,
we charge a small fee. Please visit our Rates
& Packages page
for more information. |
| what is your
house kibble? |
We serve Prairie
kibble, a premium food, for $2 a meal. Prairie has no
corn, wheat, or soy. It has an exclusive freeze-dried raw bio-coating.
We serve the Chicken & Brown Rice variety. |
| can I bring
my dog's toys and bedding? |
Yes, though
we provide comfy, clean bedding for all our boarders. If
you would like to bring your pet's
bed, she will have access to it whenever she is in her room.
If your dog is staying in a social room, we cannot guarantee
that her bed will not be chewed by another dog. Please do
not bring the Gucci.
For social boarders, please do not bring toys or treats.
To ensure that there are no opportunities for dogs to resource
guard, we do not give your dog personal items, with one
exception: we
recommend that you send along a stinky t-shirt or sock of yours so
that your pup has your scent in her room. Please note that
we cannot guarantee the return of this "fragrant" item however!
If your dog is staying in Private
Boarding, you are
welcome and encouraged to bring any of her bedding, toys,
and treats. |
