Preparation & Requirements
Thank you for choosing K9 Kaliber for your pet’s boarding and/or board and train experience. To help make sure everything goes smoothly and safely, please read the following requirements and complete the form below.
Please read everything carefully, and make sure that you understand the requirements and policies fully. While some policies may seem strict, they exist to help ensure a successful stay, and most importantly, a safe one. Your dog’s well-being is my top priority, and I take the responsibility of boarding them very seriously. Your dog will be looked after just as carefully as my own dogs are, and that means careful structure for residents and guests alike.
Once you have read through and fully understand all of the requirements and policies, please complete the form at the bottom of this page.
A 50% Deposit is Required
This deposit secures your booking and goes towards your boarding/board and train, but is non-refundable for any reason at any time; it may, however, be put towards future bookings. Your requested dates will not be reserved without this deposit. Please ensure that you are able to keep your reservation prior to making it. I do not hold reservations that have not had a deposit put down on them. Reservations are first come, first serve. The remainder is due before or at time of pick-up.
The fee schedule and payment types accepted can be found here. Do not estimate your own total; I will calculate your total for you, including any discounts or additional services requested.
Why? The deposit ensures that people actually keep their reservation. As I have a very limited number of kennels, I am very careful to only book people who are serious about their reservation. ‘Chronic cancellers’ are a major problem across the service industry as a whole, and as training/boarding are my full-time job, I cannot afford to turn away people who would have actually boarded, while reserving space for people who booked dates as a ‘maybe’.
Picking Up and Dropping Off
Pick-up and drop-off are permitted between the hours of 10am and 8pm. As I live across the street from a school, I strongly recommend avoiding drop-off/pick-up on weekdays between 1:30-3pm while kids are being picked up. Please confirm pick-up or drop-off times with me ahead of time, do not simply show up. If you are running significantly behind (10 mins or more), please let me know, so that I can plan accordingly.
Why? Business hours are set to protect the peace of my neighbors, as well as the rest of my household. Additionally, I have a protection dog on-site, who is trained to alert to and warn strangers approaching my house. Lastly, this is my home first and foremost, and I don’t like being interrupted by surprise guests.
Four Weeks (28 days) Maximum Per Stay
Barring an extreme circumstance where you are unable to pick your dog up at the end of their stay, dogs will not be permitted to stay for more than four weeks at a time. Board and train is a supplement to you working with your dog, not a substitute for it. If you are not putting in the time and working with your dog, what your dog learns and practices with me will not transfer back to home, and lack of bonding time with their owner creates distress and fearfulness in puppies. As a healthy, happy, stable dog with an empowered owner is always my goal, prolonged boarding/board and train is not offered.
Clients Only
As the goal is always to have a positive, healthy relationship with your dog, I do not accept bookings for dogs who I have not evaluated and had at least one lesson with prior to their stay. There are no exceptions to this rule, even for dogs within the same household or family. While I am grateful to people who want to share the word and have their friends and family board their dogs with me, it is very stressful for both me and the dog to be thrown into a boarding situation together without establishing communication, trust, and mutual respect first.
Preparing Your Dog for Their Stay
Just like kids heading off to camp, there’s always a little prep work and packing! If your dog requires transport, you must be home at the time I arrive. I will not enter your home without an adult (18+) owner present for safety and liability reasons. I will also want to review your dog’s feeding regimen, training goals, and other information prior to bringing them home with me.
What to Pack
The short version: Their food, collar, and leash.
The longer version: Pack lightly! Do not send excessive amounts of luggage; my storage space is very limited, and excessive items easily become lost or forgotten when picking your dog up. The K9K team assumes NO responsibility for lost or damaged items left with your dog. Please send the following:
- Appropriately fitted collar with ID tag firmly attached.
- If your dog’s collar does not have an ID tag attached, one will be made for you at an additional fee of $20.
- Nylon, leather, or similar leash of no more than 6′ in length.
- Appropriately fitted training collar (prong collar or slip chain) or harness.
- Food sufficient for your dog’s stay; see “Food Requirements” below.
- Proof of vaccinations provided by your veterinarian (see below).
You may, at your option, send the following:
- 1-2 chews per day.
- 1-2 toys.
- A large assortment of toys is provided for all guests, and all toys are washed regularly.
- 1-2 blankets.
- Blankets will be provided, but you may include your own, as well.
- E-collar.
- Include the charger.
- Your e-collar may be returned labeled with your dog’s name. This label is to ensure I use the right collars with the right dogs, and may be removed or kept as you please.
- Muzzle.
- Basket- or Jafco-style only. A properly fitted muzzle allows your dog to pant and drink water normally, without being so loose as to create a hazard or excessive weight and bulk on their face. Fabric, mesh, or other restrictive muzzles that do not allow for a dog to breathe and drink properly will not be accepted.
- One (1) vest [service dogs only].
For safety, chews and toys are never left in the kennels when dogs are unattended, and collars are removed during playtime and when kenneled.
What Not to Pack
- Feeding stands, food bowls, or automatic feeders.
- Guests are provided food and water from stainless steel bowls only. Feeding stands, puzzle feeders, etc. do not safely fit in a kennel. Dogs are absolutely never, under any circumstances, fed outside of their kennel during their stay.
- Beds, crate pads, or kennel covers.
- Beds are bulky and do not fit well inside a kennel. They can be shredded, creating a strangulation or choking hazard, and are extremely difficult to properly wash in case of an accident or spill.
- Kennels, crates, pens, tie-outs, or other containment items.
- There are four guest kennels on-site, plus additional in case of an emergency guest.
- Bungee or retractable leashes.
Any extraneous items will be rejected at drop-off and sent back home with you. Keep it simple and save us both the trouble!
Food Requirements
- Pack sufficient food for the duration of your dog’s stay, plus two days in case of emergency.
- Please measure carefully; do not just dump food into a bag or container and assume!!
- Food may be brought in a proper dog food bag or a container. No single bag or container may be heavier than 15lbs.
- Bags: Please only use a bag intended for food storage (the original bag the food was sold in, a zip seal bag, etc.). A plastic grocery bag, brown paper lunch bag, or other non-storage bag is not acceptable.
- Containers: Plastic food storage containers such as cereal containers, dog food bins, etc. Styrofoam take-out containers, plastic cups, etc. are not acceptable.
- Raw or fresh food must be prepared in advance, divided up either by day or by serving.
- If your dog’s food is stored frozen, one full day of food must arrive defrosted when you drop your dog off.
- I do not free-feed, no exceptions. Your dog’s food will be given to them, and removed 15 minutes later if they have not eaten.
- If I must purchase food for your pet, you will be charged for the food plus a $25 fee.
- If your dog’s food is not available (prescription or requires a membership to purchase), a similar food will be chosen for them. That said, I am not responsible for diarrhea or digestive upset; it is on you to ensure that your dog has sufficient food for their stay.
Kennel and Housebreaking Requirement
Your dog must be reasonably well kennel-trained. Kenneling is a critically important part of boarding. Not all dogs are compatible together, and dogs are not permitted to roam freely overnight or while I am not home to supervise them. This is for their safety, to prevent breaking out, ingesting harmful items, or causing damage.
While kenneled, dogs have their collars, harnesses, and other gear removed. No toys are left in their kennel, and chews and bowls are removed 15 minutes after being delivered. This prevents aggression should another animal approach their kennel, encourages eating at meal times, and doesn’t allow for toys to be shredded and become a choking hazard.
Your dog must also be reasonably well housebroken in accordance with their age, meaning they must be trained or in the process of being trained to urinate and defecate outdoors. I cannot accept dogs who need potty pads, diapers, litter boxes, or any other method of urinating and defecating indoors. This policy does not bar the use of britches for bitches in season.
Hygiene Requirements
Your dog must arrive reasonably clean. As a guideline, I recommend that they have had a bath within the last 30 days. Dropping your dog off with excessive dirt, oil, or odor creates a significant amount of extra work for me, as the kennel, blankets, floor mats, toys, etc. all require multiple cleanings to remove odor, oil, dander, and hair to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation for other guests. Beyond all of the extra work, this is my home, not a large-scale boarding facility; please respect my space as I would respect yours. If your dog arrives unreasonably dirty, you will be informed and a $60 fee will be added to your dog’s stay to cover my costs and time for bathing your dog. That said, if your dog has an accident during their stay and requires a bath, this will be done at no extra cost; cleanliness is part of responsible pet care!
Special note for medicated shampoos: If your dog requires medicated shampoo, please send it along in case of an accident. If your dog’s shampoo contains chlorhexidine, please package it separately in a sealed plastic bag, as I am allergic to it and need to take extra precautions.
Likewise, your dog’s nails must be properly maintained. Long nails affect your dog’s ability to walk properly, and can cause slips and falls. Over time, long nails push their toe bones out of proper alignment, leading to flat feet and joint damage as they overcompensate with their hips, knees, and shoulders. If your dog’s nails are excessively long, you will be informed and an additional cost of $30 will be added to your dog’s stay.
Transportation Fee
Transport is ONLY offered on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and must be coordinated around my scheduled appointments for the day. There is a $2/per loaded mile (rounded up to the nearest mile) fee for transport to and/or from your home. If you would like your dog to travel in a travel carrier or car harness, this must be provided at time of pick-up. Otherwise, your dog will ride behind a backseat barrier for both of our safety during travel.
Communications During Your Dog’s Stay
Please use common sense when communicating during your dog’s stay; barring emergencies, calls must be at reasonable hours. To help maintain a healthy work/life balance, all text notifications are permanently muted. Texts are checked throughout the day, and replied to as time and energy allow. I do not offer video chats with your dog, as it is generally very overstimulating or even distressing for a dog to hear their owner’s voice and not be able to find them.
Sunday and Monday are my days off. During that time, I will only reply to messages from clients with a dog currently boarding, or clients who have an emergency and need to secure boarding for their dog on short-notice. All other inquiries, including regarding upcoming bookings, will be replied to on my next work day (generally Tuesdays, excepting vacation time or similar), so please do not wait until the last minute to confirm drop-off times or other details! During your dog’s stay, if you have a time-sensitive need or an emergency, please call for a more immediate response.
Registration Form
Be honest and as descriptive as possible with your answers. Undisclosed or false information will set your dog back significantly in their training, as it points me in the wrong direction and can cause conflicts with other dogs or people during their stay. All fields are required. Please be open and truthful with your replies; the more you can tell me about your dog, the better I’ll be able to work with them! Aggression, fearfulness, etc. will not result in a denial of service, but informing me helps me be a better advocate and trainer for your dog.
An emergency contact is required.
This form must be filled out once per dog; do NOT include multiple dogs on a single form!
[[Policies updated 03/18/2025]]