Why you cannot simply walk onto the farm

DoggyDogFarm is not an open-door facility.

Dogs arriving for daycare or boarding are handed over at the gate, and dogs going home are returned there as well.

This is a deliberate choice.

Dogs are highly aware of changes in their environment. An unfamiliar person entering the property can create excitement within a group: barking, running towards the entrance, increased energy and disruption.

One visitor may not seem like a problem. But multiple arrivals throughout the day would repeatedly disturb dogs that are playing, resting or sleeping.

Our priority is not to make the farm as accessible as possible to visitors. Our priority is to create a calm, safe and predictable environment for the dogs staying with us.

Can I visit DoggyDogFarm before booking?

Absolutely.

We offer scheduled introduction and viewing moments on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We deliberately plan these visits instead of allowing spontaneous walk-ins. Before visitors enter an area, we make sure the dogs are safely moved elsewhere, and we do not take visitors through rooms where dogs are resting or staying.

Imagine your own dog spending a week with us. You probably would not want them repeatedly moved, disturbed or excited because other people wanted to look around.

Neither would we.

Restricted access does not mean restricted transparency

There is an important difference between open access and transparency.

Transparency does not mean that anyone should be able to walk through an active group of dogs whenever they choose.

For us, transparency means explaining how we work and why, answering questions about your dog’s stay, offering scheduled opportunities to visit the farm, communicating when something happens, taking responsibility for the dogs entrusted to us, and seeking veterinary care when we believe a dog needs it.

The welfare of the dogs already in our care will always come before providing an unrestricted tour.

Dogs are allowed to be dogs

DoggyDogFarm is not a place where dogs spend their days individually confined simply to prevent anything from ever happening.

They run. They play. They chase each other. They wrestle. They explore. They sleep, get muddy and sometimes play harder than their humans might expect.

That freedom is an important part of the DoggyDogFarm philosophy.

It also means that, just like during play at the park, a dog may occasionally get a scratch, a small wound or another minor injury.

We supervise the dogs carefully, but even with careful supervision it is impossible to eliminate every minor injury when dogs play together.

Some minor injuries may not be immediately visible. A small scratch can be hidden underneath a thick coat, and dogs can sometimes continue playing without showing obvious signs that something has happened.

What matters is how we respond when we notice something is wrong.

What happens if a dog is injured or unwell?

If we notice an injury, unusual behavior or anything else that concerns us, our first priority is the dog.

We assess the situation, contact the owner and, where appropriate, contact a veterinarian.

We believe owners should know what is happening with their dog. We will explain what we have noticed, what we are doing and what we believe the next step should be. We will also keep you updated, because we know how worrying it can be when something happens while your dog is away from home.

Depending on the circumstances, we may remove the dog from the group to allow them to rest, inspect the affected area and provide appropriate first aid, monitor the dog more closely, consult a veterinarian, arrange veterinary treatment when necessary, or adjust the dog’s activities for the remainder of their stay.

A small scratch and a medical emergency obviously require very different responses.

Our responsibility is to recognize that difference and act accordingly.

There is a major difference between an incident occurring and an incident being ignored.

Why group management matters

A group of dogs is constantly communicating, and energy can spread through a group very quickly.

One barking dog can trigger another. An unfamiliar arrival can suddenly make a relaxed group alert. Even something positive and exciting can temporarily change the dynamics.

That is why our team works with consistent routines.

Arrivals, feeding, play, rest and human interaction are structured around the dogs rather than around a continuous stream of visitors.

Predictability creates calm.

And a calm environment helps us keep the dogs safe.

Your dog comes first

Many of the decisions we make at DoggyDogFarm become very simple when we ask ourselves one question:

What would we want if this were our own dog staying here?

We would want them to play.

We would want them to feel safe.

We would want them to be able to rest without constantly being disturbed.

We would want someone to notice if their behavior changed.

And if something happened, we would want to be told, reassured, kept informed and know that someone was taking responsibility and acting.

That is what we aim to provide for every dog entrusted to us.

Questions are always welcome

If you would like to understand why we do something a certain way, please ask us.

We are always happy to explain our routines, our approach to group management and how we care for the dogs staying at DoggyDogFarm.



Because although our gate is not always open, our communication is.

Contact us any time