Frequently “Arfed” Questions

We do not believe that there are aggressive breeds, and since each dog is screened individually, no breed is automatically eliminated. Now, are certain individual dogs aggressive? Yes. These dogs are not welcome at Pawderosa Ranch. That being said, please schedule your dog for an interview so that we can determine if your dog is a fit for the Ranch. Many times people have been worried that their dog is “too aggressive” for the Ranch because he may lunge and bark at others while on a leash. He is most likely acting out in protection of his family. Once that dog is off leash and away from his parent, his behavior usually changes for the better.

Dogs must not be aggressive toward other dogs or people. You must call to schedule an interview prior to your visit. Dogs should not be possessive over their food or toys. All dogs must be over 4 months of age and current on required vaccinations. Any dog over 8 months of age must be spayed or neutered. All dogs must be free from internal and external parasites, as well as be on a flea preventative.

Rabies and Distemper/Parvo is required every 1 or 3 years, depending on your Veterinarian. Bordetella (Kennel Cough) is required every 6 months.

Bordetella is spread rapidly through canine-to-canine contact whether your dog is at a kennel, the dog park, the pet store, or even just meeting another dog on your morning walk. Immunity studies have show that the antibodies given by the vaccine only last 6-8 months so if your dog is exposed to other dogs, he should receive a booster every 6 months. If your dog ventures out of the house only to your backyard, an annual vaccine is perfectly fine.

Just like the human flu, there are many different strains of Bordetella. Just like the human flu vaccine, the Bordetella vaccine cannot protect your dog against them all. The benefit to receiving the vaccine is that, aside from possible prevention, it will help to lessen the duration and severity should your dog get sick.

At this point in time we do not require the Canine Influenza Vaccine since efficacy has not been proven in studies. Please consult with your Vet to determine if this vaccine is right for your dog.

All dogs must be on a flea preventative in order to stay and play and the Ranch and our facilities are treated for fleas on a regular basis. That being said, we are an indoor/outdoor facility and fleas are inherent in the outdoors (birds and squirrels are too quick for us to catch and medicate), so we cannot say that we are 100% flea-free. If a dog is brought into the Ranch with fleas, he will be dipped at his owner’s expense.

They Play! As the day progresses they will start to tire and lay down for naps. Then the play some more! In the South Texas summer, there is mandatory naptime for all dogs. Once the weather gets too hot, the dogs are brought into the air-conditioned kennel to snooze. After a couple of hours they are let out again before going home. There is no set naptime, it all depends on the weather that day and the particular dog: Short-nosed breeds, overweight dogs and older dogs stay inside longer than others.

More often than not the answer is a resounding “Yes!” Dogs come to the Ranch for many different reasons; Some come because they are an only dog and want fun and interaction, Some come for the exercise and to “be a dog,” Others for socialization and to overcome separation anxiety. For those dogs that don’t fit right in immediately due to fear or misunderstanding, we work with them to build confidence and trust in other dogs. We love seeing success stories and, though it takes time, we have seen quite a few!

While we reserve the right to deny unsocial or aggressive dogs, we will provide service on a case-by-case basis. If the dog is not a threat to our staff and can be handled safely in the presence of other dogs, we will accept the dog for day or overnight boarding. Your dog will be exercised individually in a separate area depending on temperament. Please do not decide against scheduling an interview for your dog because you think he is too aggressive, sometimes we find that he is just overprotective of family or leash aggressive. Once he is away from home, or off his leash, he often does not exhibit the same tendencies.

It is inevitable that if you get a group of dogs playing together, one may get a scratch or nip now and then. Small wounds may result and you must understand this from the beginning. However, full-blown fights very rarely occur due to the initial screening process. Should a fight occur, staff determines who was the instigator and that dog is not allowed back to the Ranch.

Yes, your pet can be exposed to disease when kenneled with other animals. The risk, however, is quite low and virtually eliminated as we require advance vaccination to ensure a healthy population of boarded guests. Additionally, high sanitation standards using hospital grade disinfectants are established to ensure an absence of disease.

You will be contacted immediately and we will transport your dog to one of our area vets for treatment. Cost of treatment for any sickness is the responsibility of the dog owner. If the dog inflicts injury upon himself or is injured by his kennel-mate (we will never board dogs from different families in the same kennel), the owner is responsible for the cost of treatment. If an injury resulted from another dog, the offending dog’s owner will be responsible for the cost of treatment.

We can administer any medication/supplement on almost any needed schedule; just let us know how and when. Please let us know if your dog has any allergies to cheese or peanut butter.

Yes, we can board your pets together as space allows. You will receive a discount for boarding your pets together. Please note: If the dogs must be separated due to food or space aggression, the rate will revert to the single dog rate per dog.

A deposit equal to one-night’s stay is only required over busy holiday periods. This deposit is applied to your stay or refunded if you cancel your reservation 72 hours prior to arrival.

We want your dog to be comfortable and bringing a toy and blanket from home will comfort him. However, though we do our best to ensure belongings are returned to you in the same condition as when they arrived, we cannot guarantee the return of all items in the same condition that they were dropped off. Therefore, maybe bring his second favorite toy! Also, please leave all bulky beds and comforters at home.

Yes. In fact, we recommend you bring in his own food so his diet remains stable. If you would like us to feed our Lamb and Rice House Food, there will be a $5.00 charge per day ($9.00 if your dog eats 4 cups or more per day).

We offer a wide selection of activities and pampering to ensure your pup’s stay is customized just for him: Agility and Sports, Scavenger Hunts, Cuddle Time, Water Games and lots more!