Frequently Asked Questions
How much human company will my dog receive?
Our facilities are staffed 24 hours per day. There is a loving and passionate team directly supervising our guests between 7am to 10pm, and someone will be sleeping close by from 10pm to 6am.
We offer a ratio of 5-10 dogs to 1 member of staff at all times and a maximum of 2 dogs to 1 member of the team on pack walks.
What do I need to bring along for a staycation?
We ask that clients leave all personal belongings at home, we supply fresh bedding and blankets daily, we have a large and varied toy box on offer, we have collars for walking, so boredom or lack of comfort is never an issue.
What age will you accept guests?
Guests are accepted from young to old, but must be fully house trained and have the basics in obedience training before they can attend an assessment. We usually do not accept young male dogs until they have been neutered.
What dogs or breeds do you accept?
Our assessment is based on suitability and temperament rather than breed. Our ideal guests are sociable, responsive to basic commands, in tune with social clues from other dogs, quiet and calm. Since we respect our local community and neighbors we do not accept dogs who are very noisy and bark relentlessly.
We will not accommodate dogs who will jump over our 6ft fence for their own safety and security.
Unfortunately we are also not able to accommodate dogs with any history of aggression or reactivity to either other dogs or humans.
What food options do you offer at the barn?
Food provision is entirely up to you, we are more than happy to continue feeding your dogs regular food, to keep things as normal as possible or we can feed them our house kibble.
I have never used Blue Barn before what do I need to do to register my dog?
Bookings for new guests require a pre-stay Behavioral Assessment. This assessment can be booked via our app.
Our assessments are for the benefit of both your dog and our team and it allows us to check their suitability for our environment.
Once you have been given the green light after an assessment we may suggest further settling days or an overnight trial prior to a long stay.
Once these steps are completed clients are able to book up to 2 years in advance.
What does an assessment day consist of?
Assessment days here are very special as we get to introduce a new guest to our site, learn about their unique personality and establish whether we are a good fit for each other whilst we build a new friendship.
We spend a day introducing a new guest to our hotel and team members, for them to familiarize themselves with our environment and to see how well they integrate into our interactive space. We assess their behavior in a variety of situations which gives us a good insight into whether we think they will thrive in our unique set up.
On the day of assessment we assess the following: Social Skills, Vocal Behavior, Food Manners, Behavior & Discipline, Handling and Welfare Checks, Loose Lead Walking and Excursions.
At the end of the assessment day you will be given a full report of their progress and recommendations for future stays.
What happens if my dog doesn’t meet the assessment criteria?
Our assessment days usually end up with one of 3 recommendations
A – we come to the conclusion that unfortunately we are not the right fit for you and your dogs care.
B – we feel that additional settling and integration sessions would be needed for your dog.
C – we feel confident that your dog will be happy here mingling with our staff and other guests , and that they are sufficiently relaxed and will get the most out of our staycations.
If your dog doesn’t meet the criteria unfortunately we will conclude that we are not the best environment for your dog care needs.
What time do you open for check in and check out?
The barn is open from 7 am – 11 am for check-in and check-out of guests. This is to allow our guests to properly settle and be involved in our schedule of daily activities.
Much like a normal human Hotel, guests who are due for departure must also checkout by 11am to allow space for new arrivals.
Should you need additional daycare for your dog on his/her departure day beyond 11 am, you need to book a half day of daycare with us. This must be arranged or booked in advance of the staycation.
For daycare visitors, departure time is between 4pm and 7pm. As we start our feeding and settling routines at 6pm we need all departures to have said goodbye by then.
What vaccinations does my dog need prior to arriving?
The Vaccinations we require are as follows:
• DAPP/DHPP
• Rabies
• Bordetella
Your vaccination certificate must be up to date. Vaccinations must be given at least 1 week prior to a dog’s stay.
Please ensure that supply a copy of your dog’s vaccination prior to visit.
Can I arrange a late pick up?
To maintain our calm evening environment and routine for all of our guests we regret no collections are available after 8pm – an additional night’s accommodation will need to be booked if you cannot collect by 8pm.