Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! While your dogs are at Woof Central, they are under constant supervision, both inside and outside. Our staff undergoes a thorough training program to understand the language of dogs and to learn to manage group dog play safely and effectively.

Your dog must be current on the following vaccinations: Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, (DHPP or DAPP) Bordetella, and Rabies. Bordetella is not always a regular course vaccine, so make sure your vet includes it.

Your dog can play at Woof Central right after receiving Distemper and Rabies vaccines, however he or she must have the Bordetella vaccine in his system for at least 5 full days before playing at Woof Central with other dogs.

Your dog must have a negative stool check within the last year with valid proof presented before dogs can enter for daycare or boarding. We can call your vet for you, or they can fax in your dog’s records if you don’t have a copy. Dogs with positive stool checks cannot be admitted for daycare or boarding.

Dogs must be at least 12 weeks of age or older. Between 12 and 16 weeks, please check with your vet before entering your dog into a daycare environment.

Dogs must be spayed or neutered over the age of 7 months old to attend daycare or board at Woof Central.Dogs must be social and enjoy group play activity.

Your dog must pass an evaluation day. Our FIRST DAY FREE assessment ensures that your dog is comfortable at Woof Central.

No bowls necessary
We have stainless steel bowls and a system for washing them all. Unless your dog will not eat or drink from another bowl, or needs a special slow feeder, plan on using our bowls during your dog’s stay.

Toys
If a toy, bone or treat will make your dog’s stay that much more comfortable, by all means send it along. We will leave it in his crate or kennel for nap and nighttime use or put it in your dog’s personal bin. No sharing necessary.

We will not put any toy deemed a choking hazard in with your dog, so leave rawhides and stringy rope toys at home. If your dog needs a special treat for his or her stay, we have stuffed Kongs and no hide treats available.

Bedding
A small blanket or bed is fine for a crate or kennel suite, however understand that dogs in a new environment can chew more, or may have stool issues. If the bed is bolstered or batted and cannot be washed it is better left at home. We provide crate pads, blankets and cots in our suites.

Food
Your dog will appreciate a familiar diet while you are away, however we do offer “house” food for a small fee. When bringing your own food, a plastic container with a scoop or individually portioned plastic bags work well for dog meals. It’s very common for dogs new to daycare or boarding to skip a meal or two during daycare. On the other hand, some dogs burn off so much energy that they may want a mid-day meal or snack. We have our “house” food and Kong treats available.

Medication
We are happy to give oral and topical medications to dogs boarding with us, however we do not administer injections. We ask that you bring the medications in their original containers so we know exactly what we are giving and the exact dosage instructions. There is no extra charge for administering medications.

When you sign the Woof Central Contract, you are consenting to emergency medical care in the event your pet(s) become seriously ill. We will make every attempt to contact you at the emergency phone number provided to include you in care decisions. However, if we cannot reach you, you can be assured your veterinarian, our on-call veterinarian, or The Animal Emergency Clinic will provide the best possible care for your pet(s). All veterinarian bills are the responsibility of the owner.

Weekday Lobby Hours
Monday – Friday: 7am – 7pm

Weekend Lobby Hours
Saturday 8am-12pm, 6pm-7:30pm
Sunday 8am-10am, 6pm-7:30pm
Later pick-up times allow you to spend an extra hour at the cabin or take a later flight home.

You can drop off or pick up a dog anytime between 7 am and 7 pm weekdays at Woof Central. A half-day is 5 hours or less, a full day, anything over 5 hours. While we do not separate our half days into strict morning and afternoon slots, you can plan your drop off time to maximize playtime. Our daycare packages make drop-offs and pick-ups extra fast!

Dropping off your dog as early in the day as possible ensures that he or she adapts to the playgroup of the day and lets your dog get tuckered out before meal, potty break and bedtime.

Boarding rates are determined like a hotel stay. You get the entire day, and then overnight until 10 am the next day regardless of when you drop your dog off.

If you want to avoid additional daycare charges on your last day, pick up your dog before 10 am. After 10 am you will be charged an additional ½ day daycare up until noon, or a full day daycare if pick up is any time between noon and 7 pm.

Boarding Drop Off Times:

Monday-Friday: Before 5 pm

Saturday: Between 8 am and 11 am or Between 6 pm and 7 pm

Sunday: Between 8 am and 10 am or Between 6 pm and 7 pm

We run a modified boarding/daycare schedule on weekends. On Saturdays our dogs play hard from 8-12 with our daycare staff, then crate or kennel until our afternoon play session from 5-8. Reception is open all morning and from 6-8 pm.

On Sundays it is more about the boarders. Dogs are pottied, fed and have playtime between 7 and 10 and then again between 5 and 8pm.

Our Reception area is closed on the following holidays, but while your dog is boarding here, our staff will still attend to his or her every need. Holiday closings: Christmas and New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, Easter Sunday, Labor Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July.

If you are new to Woof Central, please call ahead to fill out paperwork and set up a FIRST DAY FREE appointment to get to know your dog and evaluate his play style and abilities. If you are already a client, you are welcome to drop in to Woof Central anytime for a play date. However during busy times such as holiday breaks, or extremely hot or cold spells we can fill up. Reserve a spot when you are at Woof, call ahead of time to reserve a spot, or reserve a spot with your online access. We are always available to help.

We want to provide our dogs and their caregivers with the best possible environment for safe and fun play. We keep to industry best practices by allowing a safe square footage per dog and keeping our staff to dog ratio at a safe level depending on the make up of each playgroup.

At Woof Central we know that working on manners makes the day better for dogs, staff and owners alike. We will work with your dog on behaviors such as jumping up, pulling, nipping or excessive barking. Let us know how we can help you.

We have a few rules of politeness when we enter and exit Woof Central. All dogs must be leashed and in owner’s control until staff takes the dog. Be aware of other leashed dogs in the lobby and parking lot, and watch your dog carefully as Penn Avenue is a busy street.

Our check in and check out area is upstairs in the lobby. We will take your dog down the back stairs and bring him up the same way at the end of the day. Our double gate system ensures all of our dogs are safe, and the back entry/exit prevents dogs from having to meet unannounced at the landing of our front door.

At Woof Central we are committed to the safety, health and happiness of every kind of dog. We build our business on improving the lives of the dogs in our care. To that end, we developed a thorough application and evaluation process for our canine clients. All dogs must pass this before entering our group play environments. A small percentage will not make it due to excessive possessiveness, territorial behaviors or fear aggression.

For new clients, our assessment appointment offers a chance for our team to meet you and your dog, answer any questions you may have, and show you our facilities. Dogs have different play styles and comfort levels and our staff is trained to watch each dog for the best fit. Plan on at least 5 hours for a full evaluation. See our full New Client Requirements.

After our dogs enter into group play, our trained staff continually observes the temperaments and play styles of our dogs to address any behavioral concerns that may arise as they grow with us. Training is a life-long process for our canine friends and we work with our doggie clients and their families to address minor issues that might arise.

After the first day we give your dog a report card to let you know about the friends he made and our observations about his play style. As your dog becomes one of our regulars, we will let you know if we see any changes in his or her behavior and work with you if there are things you want us to watch for during group play. Dogs may need time outs during the day either in the large playroom, or a short separation from the group If we are watching any behaviors or if your dog’s behavior changes, we will alert you and together we will work on any modifications necessary. If your dog becomes dangerous to staff or other dogs during group play we will have to dismiss him or her from Woof Central. Our goal is to help owners and dogs enjoy each other to their fullest capacity. So we will do everything we can to work with you before this course of action is taken, and offer resources for further help and training specific to your dog’s needs.

Absolutely! Feel free to call anytime during business hours to get an update on your pet. Each weekday we also post Facebook photos to enjoy. You can also use the web chat bubble or email, however there may be a longer information wait time for those avenues.

We do not staff overnight. All our dog clients are social and playing in daycare all day except for meal and potty breaks, so they are pretty tired at bedtime. All dogs are secured in a private den or suite, and our evaluation ensures they are comfortable in our enclosures. No interruptions at night ensures a great night’s sleep.

Woof Central requires a 50% deposit during stays over major Holidays:
If your boarding date touches any of the above dates, our Holiday Boarding deposit is required to reserve your dog’s stay
This Holiday boarding deposit is refundable if cancelled (15) or more days prior to your dog’s scheduled arrival.
If your reservation is cancelled within (8-14) days of arrival, your deposit will convert to a credit on your Woof Central account for you to use within a 12 month timeframe.
If your reservation is cancelled within (0 to 7) days of your scheduled arrival date your deposit is forfeited.
No shows will be responsible for the full amount of the scheduled reservation.
We appreciate your business and thank you for choosing Woof Central. We also look forward to loving your dog up for you while you’re away.

Complete Forms Online

Woof Central Application (PRINT)

Woof Central Contract (PRINT)

We do accept walk in nail trims, but do not accept walk in grooms to prevent overbooking. We advise that you call in advance to schedule your appointment as we fill up, especially during the holiday seasons. Pre-booking your next appointment gets you a 10% discount on your groom!

To keep your dog’s coat healthy and manageable proper and manageable coat, we recommended that you have your dog groomed every 4 – 6 weeks. Non-shedding breeds such as Poodles, Bichons, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Terriers coats can grow faster than you think and can become painfully matted if not properly maintained. Flat coat breeds with short, shedding coats can usually wait 8 -12 weeks between grooming appointments, as long as they are brushed thoroughly at home.

We always say to allow about 3 hours for your dog’s grooming stay. We do our best to get your dog groomed and back home to you in a timely manner and we will call you promptly when we are finished with the groom.

We all know life is full of surprises! We get that fact! We also get our groomers’ need to attend to each dog they are grooming in a timely manner– and to make a living doing what they do best.

Our cancellation policy helps keep our groomer’s schedules full, compensates them fairly for their time, and allows customers who may be waiting for an appointment to fill a last-minute slot.

The Policy: Cancellations or Late Arrivals
If you need to cancel or reschedule your dog’s grooming appointment, please call (612) 866-9663 as soon as possible. If you are unable to give more than a 24-hour notice, this is considered a Late Cancellation/No Show and is subject to our cancellation policy fees. Email cancellations will not be accepted due to slower response time.

• First time- No penalty, however a note will be made on your account
• Second time- You will be charged a $45 no show fee per scheduled dog
• Third time (and ongoing)- You will be charged the full price of the missed appointment

Note on vaccinations: If you arrive without proper vaccination documentation, or your dog’s vaccinations are out of date, we will not be able to groom your dog and our late cancellation policy applies as outlined above.

Note on late arrivals: Late arrivals on the day of the appointment can be accommodated until 30 minutes after your appointment time slot. Any time after that (even a few minutes!) creates a no-show appointment. You will need to reschedule with your groomer and a Late Cancellation/No Show Fee will be assessed.

We’re communicating with you: We automatically send email, and/or text appointment reminders, as well as vaccination expirations. Please make sure we have current information on file. Also please keep SMS text and email receiving preferences checked in your account so you will continue to receive our communication reminders.

Thank you for understanding and following this policy. It is a valuable tool to protect our groomer’s time and respect all our customers who are waiting to get a grooming appointment.

We like to see new puppies in our shop as early as 12 weeks of age. It’s never too early to get your dog accustomed to grooming. Your puppy’s first visit will be short and simple. Probably just a bath, blow-dry, nail clipping, and perhaps a little trimming around the face. We need to start very slow and sweet as to not stress the little pup out and to avoid “turning him off” to the grooming process.

Although older pets are one of the harder groups to work with, we are very gentle with these dogs. We may recommend that the cut remain simple and short so that the grooming process is as short as possible. Doing this will also insure that your older dog will not need grooming as often, which will surely make your pet happier!

Yes! Please bring a copy of your pets’ vaccination records with you on your first visit. It is in the best interest for your dog, as well as all the other dogs that come to the shop. We require proof of Rabies, Distemper and Bordetella.

Many factors go into a grooming cost: breed of the dog, cut or trim style, the condition of the coat, and the pet’s behavior. That is why we can give only a range of pricing over the phone about a particular groom.

Unless your dog gets into something really dirty or stinky, you’ll only need to bathe your dog once every two to four months. Bathing too frequently will dry out your pet’s skin and strip natural oils from their coat.

Dogs’ nails will grow in a curve, so if the nails get too long, it will cause their digits to splay or twist when they’re walking. Ultimately, that can lead to broken fingers and toes, hip or knee issues, and at the very least, discomfort for your dog.