How We Work

Here’s our quick reference guide that tells you what you need to do, from booking a session to picking up your dog (and everything in between!)

We’ve also provided a handy FAQ section on how we are handling Covid ongoing if that’s a personal concern or if we get another wave.

Step 1. Is my dog eligible to attend Dogs Play?

If your dog hasn’t visited us before, we ask that you complete our short multiple-choice questionnaire to ensure that they are suited to a day care environment.

Please follow this link, prior to setting up your online booking account, to complete the questionnaire.

How will my dog get on in Dogs Play?

Step 2. Sharing info before your first visit

To better be able to take good care of your dog whilst they are with us, manage your bookings, and to comply with our legal and licence requirements, we need to keep some information about you, your dog and the vet you use.

Please make sure you fill in all your information and that of the dog(s) you want to register (within the red box). We do this completing due to our license agreement, so if this has not been done, we sadly cannot book you in until all mandatory information is given.

Tips–

To add more than one dog, just click ‘additional dog’.
Don’t worry if you can’t upload your dog’s vaccination certificate at this point but please do remember to bring it with you when you attend your free hour.

Create a profile here

Step 3. Preparing for my dogs induction hour

Once your profile is complete, you can now book in your dog’s induction hour.

This is where it gets exciting!

We use the hour to meet you and your dog(s) and for them to meet us! Call us on 01283760042 or 07870823209 to book your free hour, we do just two inductions each day in the week one at 9:30am and one at 2:30pm these are booked on a 1^st come 1^st serve basis.

Please remember to bring your dog on a lead on a quick release collar e.g.

Click the link to plan your route : How to find us

Here’s how the induction works:

The pack leader will first take you to the reception and transfer your dog onto one of our leads (you take your lead away with you) and put them in a holding area by reception. They can still see you and you can still see them, we just want them to have a moment to check out the new sounds and smells of a daycare environment.

The pack leader will then show you as much of our facility as we can (some areas may be in use but, at a minimum, you’ll be able to see them all), including sharing with you what we do during the free hour and answering all of your questions.

Once you’re happy they’ll ask you to read and sign our agreement form.

Click here to download.

Once you’ve signed the agreement form, we do ask you to leave for the rest of the hour. This is for safety reasons – we want your dog to concentrate on what is going on and not be looking for you, as you would be a big distraction, and it will be a true test to see how they would cope in this environment.

We’ll then take our time to introduce your dog to Dogsplay in a structured and safe way. The pack leaders will give your dog as much time as they need to settle into their new surroundings before they are introduced to the other dogs. We do this because we know every dog is different. Your dog will first be introduced to one of our “In Pack Dogs” (You can meet these most important team members, Ada and Albert on our “Who We Are” page).

They’re trained specifically to do this role and don’t get too excited when they meet new dogs. They’re used to being in a pack environment, so once your dog’s relaxed and happy we then slowly introduce them to the rest of the pack.

What if it takes longer than an hour?

We call it a “free hour” because it usually takes this long to get the dogs shown round and integrated into the pack. It, however, it takes more than an hour that’s fine too. After all every dog is different! The assessment is designed to ensure your dog is happy and safe, so if we think it’s going to take longer than the hour, we’ll give you a call.

What we can tell you, is that when you come back at the end of the induction, your dog will likely be in a pack having a great time!

Before you leave, the pack leader will tell you how your dog has got on, and assuming everything has gone well for everyone, your online booking account will be fully activated so you can book whenever you need us.

Where to park and pick-up

*See video at the top of step 3 for more details*

When you arrive, please park in a visitor parking space, and wait in your car until a pack leader coms and collects you. These are clearly marked for you to find.

When you come back to pick up your dog, please park in the reception parking area as this is where you will drop off and pick up from now on in most instances – don’t forget to bring back your lead!

Top Tips for your Induction:

Please don’t use our post code in your cars Sat Nav – we have found lots of new customers who do this end up at the centre of the post code up an un adopted road, which is about ¾ of a mile away from us.

To find our reception area and visitor parking spaces, please come through the entrance gates and up the driveway all the way to the end.

To park in the visitor spaces, please go around the turning circle and park in one of the available spaces.

Step 4 . Customer support : Managing Bookings

Bring your lead and the Pack Leader will tell you how they have got on, once you have completed this your online booking account will be fully activated so you can book when ever you need us.