Rooo Valley Facility
Rooo Valley isn't your typical boarding kennel either.
No, we don't have lounge chairs and TV for the animals, but they don't need them here. We have people, and those people interact with your dog many times each day. Dogs are not just left in their cages with no interaction. We wouldn't want our dogs to be treated like that and we won't treat yours like that either. Each kennel is filled with a soft bed and lots of cozy blankets and/or comforters. Every dog gets toys to play with and treats (if you wish them to have them).
Our kennel is a beautiful Morton building, with huge fenced turnouts, windows,
and lots of fresh air.
Each doggie condo is 4' x 5' with a spring-loaded dog door that is open during the daylight hours for free access to private runs outside. If your dog doesn't know how to open the dog door, we'll try to teach him how, or we'll do it for him. Each doggie condo has a "green" coating, which makes cleaning easy and they don't absorb odors, and each dog is separated from his neighbor by a 4-foot-high block wall with chain link above to the ceiling.
Each outside run is 4' wide and 20' long. There are two larger kennels that
can fit multiple dogs, and there are two outside runs that are larger as well.
We fit the dogs to the runs, depending on size and what you would like your
dog to do. If you don't want your dog to socialize, they won't. It's entirely
up to you--each visit is custom-planned to what you want. In Spring 2009,
eight of the outside individual runs will be cemented; two will remain in
grass, and we will be installing drains. This will help us with water and
snow management, and also cleanliness of the individual spaces.
Beyond each outside run, we have large, grassy turnout areas, within which the dogs can run, play, or just roam around sniffing the air or every blade of grass! Every visit into the larger runs is supervised and we don't mix any dogs together unless we are sure they are safe to play together.
There's one very large fenced space, an acre big and all grass, within
which the dogs are encouraged to run and play with frizbees or balls or us or
each other.
All the turn-outs have trees for shade, fresh water to drink, and lots of beds and space to relax.
Our fences are 6' high; our facility perimeter fence is 8' high with a security gate out front.
The dog park is a huge 5-acre complex within the perimeter fence, with a 4' high interior fence and benches to sit and lots of open areas for you and your dog to play. We have agility equipment that will be available at all times, and walking trails through the woods for casual, quiet time. We will have supervision during certain hours, but every dog that comes into our park will be certified social and have shot records on file. The dog park will be open in Spring of 2009 and will be the location for lots of events and educational activities.
Clean, Clean, Clean
Note that we clean and disinfect our dog spaces at least twice each day, including our outside spaces. Our dog blankets and beds are washed and disinfected after each dog's stay. If they get dirty or muddy during your dog's visit, they will be changed... daily if necessary.
Dog waste is picked up every time dogs go outside, and visitors are also required to immediately clean up after their dogs.
We use "green" detergents and disinfectants and sprays, and our inside spaces have been treated with a green coating that has no odors or fumes, and it holds no stains or odors.
Even though right now we have no official grooming services to offer, if a dog gets dirty or muddy in play, we will clean them up by either toweling them off or with shampoo or towelettes.
Remember, the nature of a dog play center is that they get out to play in large grassy areas... they will get muddy sometimes, other dogs may slobber on them, or they may pick up "critters" from outside (see Pest Control). We will do our best to be sure that your dog will be kept clean and neat as much as is humanly possible.
Pest Control
We do spray for fleas and ticks -- a natural, herbal-based product that will not harm any animals. But, we are also in the middle of central Pennsylvania's tick region and pests are a way of life, so we encourage all of our boarders to use a tick-repellent product for your dog's safety. We also check each dog every time they come in from playing, but we can never be too careful. In addition, it's a good idea to provide heartworm protection and/or protection from mosquitoes. Again, these decisions are up to you.
