Frequently Asked Questions

DAY CLUB at LAK9s | FAQ

  • If you have already passed your assessment for daycare/boarding the next step is to decide one of the 3 tiers (twice a week, three times a week or Unlimited.) Then you will email us at dayclub@lak9s.com which tier and days of the week you want to reserve. For example, if you reserve Tier 1 Mondays and Wednesdays, your dog will have an automatic spot reserved every Monday and Wednesday every month. Your monthly membership covers the complete cost of daycare for your reserved days of the month.

    Unlimited Members need not reserve as your dog will always have a spot every day of the week!

  • Once owners have selected their reserved days for the month you cannot change the days. If you need to change your permanent days we ask for a 30 day notice to ensure your dog will have a spot for the following month.

    You can always come on additional days at the regular daycare rate if needed for busier weeks or sudden changes of plans.

  • Day Club will be open every day we operate regular daycare.

    Please see our hours of operation at LAk9s.com

  • Yes, Day Club is open 7 days a week. Please see our hours of operation at LAk9s.com

  • Yes, we also offer single visit daycare at our day rate.

  • Yes, you can join any day of the month. Once you join your credit card will be charged every month on the same day that you began your subscription

  • No fee, you will only pay your monthly membership.

  • Yes, if you have already purchased a daycare package in the past you can continue to use your daycare credits until they run out. Once your credits have run out you can join the Day Club or come in at our Day rate.

  • Yes, The Tier 3 "unlimited membership" reserves a spot seven days a week for your fluctuating schedule.

  • Yes please fill out our contact page located on our website to set this up.

  • Yes, if food is provided in a single use container with your Last name and dog name on it.

GENERAL FAQ

  • LAK9s is a structured daycare and boarding facility, meaning that dogs take turns having playtime in the park, and downtime in a crate or run.

    Dogs do best in balanced, structured environments. Rotating between play and rest is best for their mental and physical health. This structure also mirrors the home environment, where dogs will have time to walk or play and times when they rest and relax.

    We divide our dogs into several packs based on both size and temperament. This ensures that our bigger, more dominant dogs can run and play freely without accidentally harming our smaller pack members. In some special cases, we find that our gentle, larger dogs get overwhelmed in a pack of big dogs and are more comfortable with smaller daycare companions. Similarly, some of our smaller pack members want to run the big dogs, so don’t be surprised if you see your dog playing with dogs that are a different size than them. We are very intentional about these decisions and make them for the good of all of our pack members.

  • Every dog that attends LAK9s is required to pass an all-day assessment where we evaluate if our structured daycare program is a good match for them. This ensures that all dogs and staff are in a safe, balanced environment.

    Dogs are assessed on the following criteria:

    • How they interact with other dogs

    • How they interact with our staff members

    • How they act in their crate or run during rest time

    On assessment day, your dog will be introduced to our pack slowly, first, to a few dogs that we know and trust, and then gradually to more and more members of our pack. Our goal is for your dog to be comfortable being out with the full pack by the end of their assessment day.

    We will also assess your dog’s temperament when introduced to food around new people and with new dogs in nearby crates and runs. This helps us determine if our staff can safely feed your dog if you choose to board with us.

    Dogs—like humans—have their own unique personalities. While many dogs get great enjoyment from interacting with others in a daycare setting, LAK9s may not be the right environment for every dog. No one wants their dog spending time in a place where they feel uncomfortable. During their assessment, if a dog is aggressive or overly anxious to the point where it becomes a safety hazard, LAK9s is just not the right fit for them and that’s okay!

    To set up an assessment, fill out the form on our contact page.

  • As our first line of defense against contagious pathogens, we always ask that all pet owners keep their dogs home if they are showing symptoms of being sick. Dogs who are coughing, hacking, have diarrhea, vomiting, have warts on their mouths or noses should not attend daycare.

    However, just like kids pass around colds and flus at school, it’s possible your dog may come down with something while attending daycare. While annual vaccines do a great job at protecting your dog from serious diseases, below are some common illnesses your dog can contract in a social setting:

    • Kennel Cough: This is the canine version of a cold. Symptoms include coughing, honking or hacking, nasal discharge, and tiredness. We recommend speaking to your vet if your dog displays symptoms. The bordatella vaccine does a great job at protecting dogs from serious cases; however, they can still contract mild cases even when fully vaccinated.

    • Giardia: Is a tiny, single celled parasite that commonly infects the intestines of dogs. The most common symptom is diarrhea, while vomiting occurs occasionally. While it’s not fun for you or your dog to experience, most dogs recover quickly with oral medication.

    • Parasites: If we notice worms in a dog’s stool, we will notify owners so arrangements can be made to see your vet. All dogs who attend LAK9s should be flea free.

    All dogs showing symptoms of the above illnesses are immediately removed from the pack and common kennel rooms and put in their own private room. This ensures that sick dogs will get the care they need and that illnesses don't spread to other dogs. As always, we will monitor your dog’s condition closely, communicate with you, and work with you to make a plan for how to proceed, whether that means asking you to come and pick up your dog or us continuing care. Dogs showing symptoms will still be able to get physical activity through walks with our daycare attendants or short potty breaks depending on their energy levels.

  • Dogs play with their mouths, teeth, claws and paws. This can result in scratches, nicks, scrapes, and even the occasional puncture wound. Other injuries that may occur include broken, split or blistered pads and toenails. While we diligently supervise play and intervene when play escalates, injuries are bound to happen occasionally.

    When dogs get injured, we remove them from the dog park and inspect them carefully. If the cut or scrape is superficial, we will keep it clean, and either let you know at pick-up or call you to and come up with a plan. If we believe your dog should see a veterinarian, we may call you to arrange early pick-up so you can take your dog to the vet.

    For true emergencies, we may decide to transport your dog to the closest veterinarian. As soon as we are able to safely, we will call you. We will ask you to immediately contact the veterinarian to take responsibility for treatment decisions and provide full payment. You are responsible for your dog’s veterinary bills.

  • After a day of daycare or boarding, your dog will be very tired and may want to sleep for a day or two to recoup. Their paws may become sore if they are not used to being active for hours on end. The best thing you can do is let your dog rest!

    You may also notice that your dog’s body is sore or stiff after daycare. Just like how we would get sore after a full day of running, playing, jumping, and rolling around, your dog may get sore after daycare.

  • Since we live in a desert, it is very important that we keep our dogs cool throughout the day. All of our kennel rooms are temperature-controlled and equipped with high-powered fans so dogs can cool down as they rest between their rotations outside. In the dog park, our primary way of keeping dogs cool is through shade and water. There are beds set up in various locations so dogs can take a rest if they need to. We also have a pool for them to play in on hot days, which, here in LA, is most days!

    If you don’t want your dog getting wet for medical reasons or otherwise, it may be best for them to take a break from daycare.

    If you are boarding your dog and they can’t get wet, reach out to us ahead of time and we can arrange for a special boarding plan.

  • Between their rotations outside playing in the park, dogs rest in their own crate or run. All dogs have their own, fresh pail of water in their runs or crates throughout the day. Additionally, we have fresh water in the dog park at all times.

    It is common for dogs to forget to drink water while at daycare. It can be distracting with all the fun and excitement going on. Don’t be surprised if your dog comes home and wants to drink a bowl of water and go straight to bed.

  • If any behavioral issues arise, we will contact you to discuss.

  • If you don’t hear from us, your dog is having a great time! In general, we will only reach out to you if your dog has medical or behavioral issues.

    You can check out our Instagram @lak9s throughout the day to see the dogs in action. If you have an Instagram for your dog or would like to be tagged, let a daycare attendant know at drop-off or pick-up.

  • 1. It is the responsibility of the dog’s owner to update their dog’s profile with current vaccination records from a licensed veterinarian at enrollment and when vaccines are renewed. The following is required for each dog:

    • Proof of up to date DHPP vaccine (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza).

    • Proof of up to date rabies vaccination for all dogs 6 months and older.

    • Proof of up to date Bordetella vaccination.

    • Proof of up to date “lepto” (leptospirosis) vaccine.

    • Proof of K9 flu vaccine (H3N9 and H3N2).

    • Proof of spay for all female dogs 6 months and older.

    • Proof of neuter for all male dogs 9 months and older.

    2. Dogs must be at least 4 months old and fully vaccinated for boarding or daycare. Special exemptions may be made if you are coming for training.

    3. Dogs must be in good health to attend our facility. If your dog has any symptoms of illness including but not limited to coughing, sneezing, wheezing, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, runny eyes/ nose, please wait until your dog is no longer showing these symptoms before attending LAK9s.

    4. Dogs must be on some type of flea and tick preventative.

    5. All owners must complete our. Please read through this to ensure you understand and are comfortable with our policies and expectations.

  • Our daycare is open every day. You do not need an appointment to drop off your dog.

    Monday-Friday: Pick-up and drop-off is any time from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

    Saturday-Sunday: Pick-up and drop off is any time from 10:00 am-12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

    We are closed daily from 12:00 -1:00 pm.

    All you need to bring is your dog on their leash.

    We only allow daycare lunches for dogs 6 months old or younger and those with health conditions.

    Please make sure that you add any allergies your dog has to the medical section of their profile.

  • General:

    Boarding reservations should be made through your online profile. Your dog must have passed their assessment to come for boarding.

    We charge per night. For pick-ups later than 2:00 pm we charge a daycare fee for the last day.

    We are open Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday & Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you need to schedule an after hours pick-up, please email info@lak9s.com.

    We are closed daily from 12:00 - 1:00 pm.

    Please leave your pets belongings at home. We have plenty of beds, blankets and bowls for them to use during their stay.

    For safety, we do not allow toys or treats that may be choking hazards, such as raw hides.

    We will be closed for pick-ups, drop-offs, and daycare on the following holidays. Though we are closed, staff is onsight 24 hours a day 365 days a year to watch over your pups:

    • 4th of July

    • Labor Day

    • Thanksgiving Day

    • Christmas Eve

    • Christmas Day

    • New Year's Eve

    • New Year’s Day

    We charge a $20 additional fee per dog for booking boarding on the above mentioned holidays.

    Food:

    LAK9s prefers to feed dogs once a day at 9am to help with your dog's routine during his/her stay. We make an exception for puppies up to 6 months old or for any medical reason.

    We only accept pre-bagged meals. Please pre-bag your dog's meals and write your dog's name + last name on each bag. If you do not pre-bag each meal, you will get charged an additional $5 per day.

    Please note we do not accept containers or large bags of food.

    Make sure to pack a couple extra meals in case of emergency.

    We have plenty of feeding bowls so please keep these belongings at home.

    We ask that any supplement powders, treats or pills be pre-bagged with individual meals

    Medication:

    We charge a $5 medication fee per day for dogs who require medications.

    If your dog is on any medications, please bring them in the original bottle and provide clear written instructions. This ensures that we can provide accurate information to a vet in the event of an emergency.

    We do not charge extra for supplements; however, as mentioned above, we ask that any supplement powders, treats or pills be pre-bagged with individual meals.

    Allergies:

    Please make sure that you add all allergies to the medical section of your dog’s profile.

    Food: If your dog has food allergies, please make sure this information is available on their profile so we are aware. When boarding, some dogs have trouble eating. We keep meal mixers, rice, and fresh foods onsite that we can add to your dog’s food if we notice they aren’t eating their meals. Therefore it is critical that we are aware of any food allergies.

    Bees and other allergens: Though uncommon, bee stings and allergic reactions can occur while in our care. We keep medication onsite to treat allergic reactions.

  • Currently, our grooming services are only available to boarding dogs.

    You can request an appointment when you make a boarding reservation and we will confirm if we have availability.

    Prices can be found here.

  • Your dog will feel your energy at pick-up and drop-off. It is best for you to be calm and assertive. If your dog is having a hard time with separation, the longer you stay often the harder it can be for your dog (and you) to say goodbye. In our experience, even the dogs who have the hardest time parting with their owners will walk back to the yard without any issues as soon as their owner leaves. We will do everything we can to make your dog feel comfortable in our care!

    It might take your dog a few visits to get fully comfortable with the environment at LAK9s. That’s okay and to be expected. The more confident and calm you are when dropping your dog off with us, the easier the transition will be for them.

  • When entering LAK9s, please make sure your dog is on a leash. Not all dogs on our premises have passed their assessments and some may be here for training and reactivity.

    Please note that your dog cannot have any contagious diseases while attending LAK9s. All symptoms of any illness must be resolved to resume attendance.