Sunny Monday

Good morning, it is a bright and sunny day out today at (a high of) 72 degrees. The pups will want to sunbathe a lot, make sure that they stay cool, hydrated, and happy today! The days are getting warmer as summer comes down the alley, make sure that you keep these dog safety tips in your mind so that your pup continues to stay healthy and happy during this beautiful weather. Gladly The Fort stays nice and comfy for the dogs all-year 'round.
Make sure to enjoy the weather and have a wonderful day,
-Zach

Freaky Friday!

As we get closer and closer to Halloween I thought it would be fun to check out some creative ideas people around the net have had to let Fido join the festivities. here is a link to 20 great ideas.

 

 

If that list doesn't tickle your fancy heres a link to a bunch more! including the fearsome Thorgi!

 

 

 

Lastly, remember to keep Fido and Fluffy happy and safe inside the house for this night full of scary sights. Costumes can be stressful for our canine companions no matter how fun it is for us. Keep in mind that Fido may not understand that the ghoul or goblin approaching the door is only a child, and take steps to ensure a pleasant evening for everyone in the household. Here is a few more tips from the ASPCA on how to keep your pup safe on Halloween.

 

See ya next week!

 

-Ryan

 

 

If you haven't already...

Please read our blog article titled "Giving the boot :( some words about safety at Fort Fido". It is very relevant, and I like folks to be mindful of it. I wrote it a few years back. Unfortunately, I was reminded of it today because we had an assessment that didn't quite "cut the mustard". No, it wasn't a big deal, not a "fight", or anything like that... Just a canine with a high arousal level, that didn't like to meet with other dogs properly (He wouldn't let any dog sniff his rear end lol!). Anywho, here is that article, please take a gander:

http://fortfido.blogspot.com/2011/07/giving-boot-some-words-about-safety-at.html

Take it easy this weekend,

-Grant
P.S. Also something to note, our blog is now going to be updated Monday through Friday, five days a week, only. Any big news that happens over the weekend will be up on Monday's post. Thank you.

a couple of clips

We did have an assessment this morning but unfortunately the beautiful looking dog didn't cut the mustard in the socialization department... Yikes! At any rate, it's rare for dogs not to make it past their assessment day but it does happen. We don't mess around, we don't jepordize the packs safety. Sometimes the dog is only here for a matter of minutes before we say "No Way!". I don't usually mention a dog not passing but wanted to today since, ironically, I just wrote this article the other day.


On to some happier stuff.

Here is a good clip of the Big Roll Late in the AM... As you can see, most are winding down from the ruckus that is the "early morning play" but a handful of pups are still going at it.



In the Medium Roll, Phoebe was our top sprinter today. Dang, this dog can move and loves "chase me" games!




Cheers,

-Grant

Giving The Boot :( some words about safety at Fort Fido

(Now no, I don't mean literally... And yes, not all Jack Russells are naughty hellions lol)

"I'm sorry, but your dog can not attend daycare here anymore"

That is the hardest thing we ever have to say to a customer of Fort Fido. That being said, it is also what we believe makes us one of the best Doggy Daycare Centers on the planet. :)

We get to know our daycare dogs very well. How much play they can handle, what type of play they can engage in, what other dogs they can play with, whether or not they are toy possessive, have prey drive, etc… The list goes on and on.

We run a tight ship around here AKA our day is very structured, very routine for our daycare dogs. Some may think we have too many rules but this enables us to keep the utmost level of safety for your pets while they attend.

The assessment process is our first safety measure. It allows us to determine if a dog is suitable for socialization with the pack. Many folks don't want to fill out a five page application if they know their dog won't pass an assessment. Many people just pop-in or call up the day of thinking they can drop off any old dog at anytime. Fortunately that is not how it works here. Most people know their dog well. When a dog is here with us, it tells no lies... Sometimes ratting out its owners. If someone isn't truthful on the application we usually know within a matter of minutes. We know if your dog has been socialized, whether or not it has separation anxiety, what caused it, etc… There are exceptions to this but they are rare. 

In the end, dogs are animals, accidents can happen and unpredictability rears its head every so often. However, with our wonderful system in place we undoubtedly decrease the possibility of incidents/injuries.

We also tell people that our assessment process is ongoing. Just because a dog got along ok one day, for four hours, doesn't mean it will workout indefinitely. Life happens, people’s situations change, often times our animals will act out in various ways when life-changes occur. We do our best to keep the lines of communication open with our customers and our employees. We keep customers informed and updated on any issues we may be having with their pet. Nobody likes surprises in the negative category. Nine times out of ten, a customer will know that their dog is on its way out unless we can get its issues resolved. To stay connected with our employees, we chat with each of them before their shift to get them up to date on the days events. We also have communication boards throughout the facility with notes to over emphasis certain information.

Sometimes we can get a negative situation under control, especially if the customer is upfront, honest and willing to work with us (we highly respect that). Other times we have to say it, what I personally dread. “I'm sorry, but your dog can not attend daycare here anymore". We never want or mean to hurt anyone’s feelings but sometimes it must be done, as stressful and awkward as it is. It is all for the safety of the animals. It is always all about the dogs here at Fort Fido and we'd rather head a sticky situation off at the pass then have to send home hurt pooches and vet bills. Talk about awkward!

Thanks for reading,

-Grant

P.S. The most uncomfortable "Giving of The Boot" I ever had, was telling a kind, frequent and loyal customer of several years that their dog could no longer attend. Folks get upset, I fully understand because I do as well. Many do not realize that we have agonized over the decision for quite sometime before it is made and that it is final once made. It's not a fun task, nor does it feel good for us or our business in that moment. I reiterate, it is for the good of the whole.

Summertime Heat

It's starting to heat up, and summer safety for pets is becoming more and more important. A dog in Maryland has died after being left for too long in a hot car. Cars are especially dangerous places for both pets and people in the heat. Even after just ten minutes, a dog that is trapped in a sweltering vehicle can start to go into distress. The best thing you can do if you have to run errands, is to leave your dog someplace safe, or to go places where you can bring them with you.


Make sure while you're out and about that your pets are getting enough water. This can be hard to think of when they appear to be taking care of themselves. Whenever you go to have a drink of water, make sure your pet gets one too.

The Tacoma News Tribune had some great tips on beating the heat. The Seattle Times has a neat article tailored specifically to pet safety in the hot weather. You can watch a clip from a Canadian News Program about dogs and the heat.

In other news, a Tacoma man entered the Beneful Ultimate Dog Park contest, you can see his video entry here. If he gets chosen as a finalist, he could win $500,000 of funding for his envisioned upgrades the the off leash areas at Point Defiance Park. Make sure that you head on over and vote!

Have fun and be safe!

Hope

PS--Here are some funny pictures of dogs and sprinklers that I found. Too cute!

Brrr!

Wow! We have all noticed the temperature drop this week, boy is it chilly! Luckily we can stay nice and toasty here at Fort Fido. We strive to keep our canine pals comfortable no matter what the weather brings. Our warehouse has an ample heating system that allows us to keep all three play areas as warm as we'd like. Our rubber flooring helps insulate dogs feet from the super-cool cement floor.

Please be careful coming in and out of the fort with your pet. It can get rather slippery in the parking lot with the various elements. We are applying deicer in the bad spots but everyone still needs to be cautious.

This morning I was on the hunt for a good article about dog care during winter weather. Here is the one I was partial to, most of it is common sense however it's great to freshen up on that every now and then. :)

Stay warm, drive safe, and watch out for the white stuff this weekend,

-Grant