Frequently Asked Questions

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Whether you’re new to the Ranch or a regular, we’ve gathered the most common questions to help you out. Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Text or email us!

Most Asked Questions

Daycare:

  • No call, no show: $10 fee

Boarding:

  • 72+ hours notice: Full refund of deposit
  • 48+ hours notice: 50% refund of deposit
  • Less than 48 hours: You forfeit the entire deposit
  • No call, no show: Charged for full boarding stay

Holiday/Peak Season:

Holidays include New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Spring Break, Memorial Day Weekend, Fourth of July, Labor Day Weekend, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. All holiday reservations require a deposit at the time of booking. Holiday and peak season deposits won’t be refunded unless you cancel 14+ days before your reservation.

Cancellation fees can change, and the owner/office manager may waive them depending on the situation (emergencies, weather, medical issues, etc.).

Texting is 100% the best option! Our kennel phone number is (870) 586-5860, and you can expect a text back within a few business hours. Email is a close runner-up if you’d prefer that.

We’re just off HWY 49 in the Goobertown Curve, behind the Emerald’s Triangle building. Our address is 1264 CR 761, Brookland, AR 72417.

We’d love to show you around, but in-person tours just aren’t possible for us due to insurance reasons. You can find lots of photos and a virtual tour video on our About page.

Saturday and Sunday hours are 8:30 am to 9:30 am (drop-off) and 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm (pick-up). If you pick up during the afternoon window, there’s an additional $10 fee for a half-day of play.

Yep, here are the possible add-ons:

  • House Food Fee: $3/night if you don’t provide your pet’s own food
  • Unaltered Pet Fee: $5/night (can be waived for medical exemptions or pups too young to be altered)
  • Late Pickup Fee: $10 one-time charge if you pick up in the afternoon time slot
  • Excessive Cleaning Fee: Varies by situation; we’ll discuss this with you
  • Damage Fee: Varies by situation; we’ll discuss this with you

For daycare, reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance. For boarding, we recommend booking 2-4 weeks ahead to ensure availability, especially during peak times and holidays.

Our facility owner does have 24/7 camera access to keep an eye on everyone and make sure all the pups are safe and happy; however, we don’t have the capability of granting our pet parents access.

New Pet Parents

Fill out our new client paperwork, and we’ll help you get your pup scheduled for their first-day evaluation!

We require bordetella (kennel cough), rabies, and the combo vaccine (DHLPP or DAPPv) that protects against distemper, parvovirus, and leptospirosis. These need to be given by a licensed veterinarian, and we’ll need to see proof from your vet.

An unaltered dog hasn’t been spayed (female) or neutered (male). We do accept unaltered dogs for boarding with an additional $5/night fee since they need private playtime with staff. Please know that unaltered females can’t be in or near a heat cycle, and unaltered dogs aren’t eligible for playgroups.

We’re pretty serious about cleanliness! We use AstroTurf instead of grass to prevent bacteria buildup. Our top-notch WysiWash system keeps the outdoor play yards disinfected and smelling fresh, and we occasionally add SimplyGreen or AngryOrange for an extra boost. Inside, we use various disinfectants and cleaning methods to keep illness at bay. Our play supervisors have scoops and trash cans stationed around the yards, so messes get picked up right away.

First off, it’s not about your dog being “bad.” Some dogs just prefer quieter environments or one-on-one attention, and that’s totally okay! If your dog isn’t comfortable in group play, they can still come for boarding, where they’ll get individual playtime with staff. We call these “individual play” dogs, and they get one-on-one time instead of playgroups. Your pet’s comfort always comes first at MDR.

Yes! During the week, boarding dogs join our daycare playgroups for most of the day. They play until closing, with breaks for meals. On weekends, they play in the mornings until they’re tired, nap around midday, and then play again in the afternoon/evening. Boarding dogs are here for longer stays and usually need more downtime on weekends.

Existing Pet Parents

There are a few common reasons:

Vaccines: When you upload or email vaccines, it’s just a scanned image at first. Our staff has to manually input the expiration dates into your pet’s profile. If you’re getting an error about vaccines, just message us, and we’ll fix it. 

24-Hour Notice: Gingr automatically cuts off reservations at 10 am the day before. If you didn’t get your daycare reservation in by then, it won’t let you book. Message us, and we can fix it for you.

Disabled Dates: Around busy boarding holidays, we sometimes have to close daycare to keep our staff-to-dog ratio manageable. This is for the safety of both pups and staff. These dates show up as gray boxes on the calendar and can’t be selected.

Please let us know right away! Dogs change as they age or experience new things, and we want to make sure we’re meeting their current needs. Whether it’s a medical issue, behavior shift, or getting a little grayer around the muzzle, we’ll work with you to adjust their care. Reach out to our staff, and we’ll update their profile and care plan.

Boarding

Food & Treats: Bring your dog’s meals pre-portioned in individual baggies with their name on them. Toss in a small baggie of treats or chews for their suite, too.

Bedding: Bring whatever they usually sleep with at home (bed, blanket, or pillow) so they have a piece of home with them.

Toys: Bring up to 3 toys for nighttime fun. Avoid anything your dog gets protective over since other pups walk past their suite.

Medications: Bring any daily meds in their original packaging or in a properly distributed daily pill container. Add instructions on the check-in questionnaire and in Gingr, too.

During the week, dogs are in social playgroups for most of the day. Staff arrive first thing to let boarding dogs out, and they play until closing, with breaks for meals. Older or medically fragile dogs get extra breaks as needed.

On weekends, dogs play in the mornings until they’re tired, nap around midday, then play again in the afternoon/evening. Boarding dogs are here for longer stays and usually need more downtime on weekends.

If your dog is too aggressive or can’t be around other dogs, we’ll let you know, and they’ll become an “individual play” dog. This means they get one-on-one time with staff instead of playgroups.

Yes, and we encourage it! Your dog’s tummy will be much happier with their own food from home. If you don’t bring food, there’s a $5/night house-food fee.

Daycare

That’s what the evaluation day is all about! We’ll watch how your pup handles the environment, see their play style, and get a feel for whether they’re enjoying themselves. Some dogs absolutely thrive in daycare, while others prefer quieter settings. We’ll give you the honest truth about how your pup feels being here.

Before your pup can join our daycare crew, we need to see how they handle the environment and interact with other dogs. The evaluation helps us figure out if daycare is a good fit and which playgroup they’ll be happiest in. We’ll watch their play style, energy level, and comfort level throughout the day. Not every dog loves daycare, and that’s okay! We’ll be honest with you about how your pup feels being here.

First off, it’s not about your dog being “bad.” Daycare just isn’t the right fit for every dog, and that’s totally okay! We’ll be upfront with you about how your pup responds. The evaluation fee is non-refundable, but we’re happy to talk through other options that might work better for your dog.

We look at a few things: size first, then age, then play style. Every morning, we check in on how your dog is feeling, what their energy level is like that day, and what their typical play style looks like before picking their playgroup. We’ll move dogs around throughout the day to keep groups diverse, happy, and energized.

During the week, dogs are in social playgroups for most of the day. Staff come in first thing to let boarding dogs out; then, daycare pups arrive. They play until closing time, with breaks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Older or medically fragile dogs get extra breaks as needed.

On weekends, we let the dogs play in the mornings until they’re tired, give them a midday nap, and then repeat playtime in the afternoon/evening.

We do require dogs to be spayed or neutered for playgroups. That said, medical exemptions (like giant breeds or dogs with heart conditions) can be approved by our manager or owner. Reach out, and we can chat about your specific situation.

Just bring your pup! We’ve got fresh water available all day. If your dog has special needs or takes medication, let us know when you’re scheduling, and we’ll go over the details. 

Absolutely! Standing reservations are perfect if your pup comes regularly and you like planning ahead. They guarantee your dog always has a spot and help us plan our staffing. Ask our team to get you set up. We’re happy to help you book out weeks or even months in advance!

Safety always comes first! We keep a close eye on weather and may shorten outdoor playtime or close daycare if conditions aren’t safe. We’ll let you know as early as possible if the weather affects our schedule. If there’s a severe thunderstorm watch, we put collars back on the dogs just to be safe.

We’re Here to Help!

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Whether you want to chat about daycare, boarding, or anything else, reach out anytime. We’re here to make things easy for you and fun for your dog.