Frequently Asked Questions

We're open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can pick up or drop off at any time during these hours. On your departure day, if your dog is picked up before 11:30 a.m., you will not incur the daycare fee for that day. If picked up after 11:30 a.m. on your departure day, a late pickup charge will be added to your bill.

Yes! We offer tours of our facility every day of the week, no appointment needed. However, we do recommend coming between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., as the early morning and evening hours can be quite busy with arrivals and departures. Although we cannot allow non-employees to enter the warehouse, you can view the inside and outside play areas on our video screens.

Your dog needs to be current on the following vaccinations: Rabies, Distemper/Parvo, and Bordetella (the vaccine for canine cough). We also strongly encourage dogs to receive the K9 Flu vaccine, as we often take dogs from other states who are either visiting or relocating to Savannah. All dogs must be on some flea preventative and be free from worms.

We ask that you leave your dog with us for at least 4 hours, but feel free to let them play all day. During this time, we will interact with your dog and determine the best group play for their personality. If, for any reason, we believe that your dog would not thrive in a group play setting, we will contact you immediately with a report. There is a charge for the evaluation.

Not to worry! Many dogs, like many people, are just not comfortable around a lot of other dogs. That is why we offer private play yards for our boarding clients. With our private play yards, your dog will spend the day in their own space, including a 13x13 private outside play area as well as one-on-one interaction with a yard attendant in our larger play yards several times throughout the day.

We no longer allow the following breeds:

• American Pit Bull Terriers
• Bull Terriers, including miniature
• American Staffordshire Terriers
• Staffordshire Bull Terriers
• Cane Corsos
• Dogo Argentina Bull Terriers
• Belgian Malinois

We have based our policy regarding bully breeds on several factors. We take the safety of all our dogs, as well as that of our employees, seriously. To that end, we opted to only offer in-home services to new clients with bully breeds, or they can stay in a private play yard.

We require dogs to have collars with quick-release clasps. We do not allow dogs with buckle, martingale, pinch, seresto/pheromone, or other types of collars in the play yards. We kindly ask that you label your dog's leash and collar with their first and last name.

At least 4 months old. We want to ensure that all dogs have sufficient time to develop a stable immune system before being introduced to other dogs and completing all their puppy shots and boosters.

During their initial $31 temperament evaluation, we consider several factors, including age, size, play style, and energy level. We have three different play yards: one for small dogs, one for younger, more active dogs, and one for mature dogs. We base playgroups on where your dog is the most comfortable, even if that means a smaller dog can hold its own in the active yard or a large dog does better with smaller dogs.

Yes, dogs from the same family can stay together in the same suite, provided a family suite is available at the time of booking. Please note, it is our policy to separate dogs boarding together during feeding time. If your dogs prefer to eat together, please notify our staff at check-in.

Yes, we will gladly administer medications to your dog while they are in our care for no additional charge. At drop-off, please notify our team that your dog has medication. You will then be given a form to complete, detailing your dog's medication, the time of day it should be administered, and the frequency of administration.

Bring your dog's food (preferably pre-portioned and labeled), any medications, and a favorite item or toy. We provide bowls and bedding.

Some dogs may be tired or even a little sore for a day or two after daycare or boarding with us. This is because most of them play hard and get a lot of exercise while they are here. Even though they have rest areas available to them in each of our playrooms, most of them choose to play for a good portion of the day, which may be more than they are used to at home.

Your dog has access to water at all times during both daycare and boarding. There are several containers of fresh water in each play yard, both inside and outside, that are replenished several times throughout the day. Even though we have water available throughout the day, some dogs don't want to stop playing to drink water frequently. Also, all dogs have an individual bowl of water in their bedroom, if they're boarding with us. However, as with being tired, the increase in activity may also increase your dog's water intake. Don't be alarmed if they want to drink more water than usual when they get home (though you should encourage them to drink slowly and small amounts at a time, to prevent vomiting).

Just like children who play on playgrounds (in daycare or at school) can get hurt from time to time, dogs playing with each other can also get hurt. Because dogs play with their mouths and paws, and enjoy wrestling around on the ground with each other, minor scratches can occur. Although injuries are rare, they can still happen. If an injury does occur, you are responsible for any medical expenses for your dog, as you would be for a child. Please be sure you are comfortable with this before allowing your dog to play with other dogs. If you are not, our Private Play Yards are always an option; however, most owners find the benefits of allowing their dog to play outweigh the risks.

Your pet can be exposed to diseases regardless of where they are, whether at home, at a dog park, taking a walk in your neighborhood, or staying at our facility. However, the risk of contracting a disease is relatively low when proper vaccinations are administered (as we require). In addition, we maintain extremely high sanitation standards and take every possible measure to prevent the transmission of transmissible diseases in our facilities. We kindly request that if your dog is exhibiting any symptoms that may be contagious (such as coughing, sneezing, or watery eyes), you please refrain from bringing your dog into our facility. If a dog starts presenting symptoms while staying with us, it will be quarantined until it can return home.

Although dog fights are rare, they can still occur, as we are dealing with animals after all. Our staff continually monitors play to ensure all dog interactions are friendly and playful. If a dog fight does break out and injuries occur, the parents of the dogs will be notified, and the dog that started the fight will be responsible for any resulting medical charges.

Yes! All dogs are required to be on a leash at all times when entering or exiting the area. This is for the safety of your dog, especially in our parking lot. This will also help maintain a calm lobby environment, prevent confrontations, and keep dogs from running away if the lobby door is opened. We strictly prohibit the use of retractable leashes. This is for the safety of everyone involved. Some dogs are flash aggressive, and we can't control dogs on an unlocked retractable leash.

If your dog has something that is contagious or that could be contagious (for example, coughing, runny nose, or sneezing), do not bring your dog to The Hipster Hound until your veterinarian has confirmed they are no longer a risk to other dogs. You may be asked to provide a statement from your veterinarian confirming that it is safe for us to admit your dog. However, because we have a large number of staff members available, The Hipster Hound can be a great place for dogs who have non-contagious medical needs. It is essential to keep in mind that there are other dogs in the facility. Therefore, if your dog has a compromised immune system or other health issues, you should discuss your plans with your veterinarian before deciding to board them in any facility. Remember, The Hipster Hound cannot be held responsible if your dog becomes ill during or after their stay.

Yes. All dogs attending daycare and/or boarding have full access to both the indoor and outdoor play areas. On beautiful days, we leave the door open to the outside, so dogs can run in and out as often as they want while playing. During extremely hot, cold, or rainy days, the dogs play inside our climate-controlled warehouse with frequent bathroom breaks.

Absolutely! We offer lunch service to dogs (also for no additional charge). Please bring your dog's food in a ziplock bag or other container clearly labeled with their name, and let our staff know that you would like your dog to be served lunch while they are here. If your dog is in daycare, we will remove them from the playroom at lunchtime and place them in one of our private bedrooms to eat. We require all dogs that eat lunch to rest for a while before returning to the playroom for their digestive health.

We typically recommend bringing your dog's food from home, as many dogs do better staying on their regular diet and have less trouble with upset stomachs when switching foods. However, we do serve house food (usually Victor Multi Pro) at a minimal added cost of $2 per meal, if you prefer. It's wheat, corn, and soy free with chicken and vegetables. If your pet has any food allergies or dietary concerns, we recommend supplying your food. If you decide to bring your food, we recommend packing it in pre-portioned, resealable baggies. This ensures that we have plenty of food for your dog's stay. If you do not pre-portion the food, it must be stored in a resealable container or bag. We also have a refrigerator and microwave to prepare special diets. If your dog is boarding with us for five days or more, you may want to consider increasing the amount of food your dog eats, as their increased activity level may require more calories.

We provide cots, beds, or blankets for all of our overnight guests. However, if you want them to have something soft and snuggly from home, you can bring in a bed or a favorite blanket. If you do bring a bed, we ask that it will easily fit in a washer and dryer. Toys are permitted, but we kindly ask that you limit them to two or three of your dog's favorite toys. Your dog's toys will be stored in their bedrooms, and we do our best to return all toys. However, we are not responsible if a toy is lost or destroyed. You are also welcome to bring treats, but please refrain from bringing rawhide treats. Please label everything with your dog's first and last name.

If your pet requires medical attention, we will refer to your contact list and make every attempt to reach you or your designated emergency contact. Suppose we are unable to contact you or your emergency contact and believe your dog requires medical attention. In that case, we will transport your pet to their regular veterinarian, if one is nearby, to ensure continuity of care. If your veterinarian is not located near our facility, we will visit one of the local veterinarians that we are familiar with. If we believe the situation is urgent or if your dog requires care outside regular hours, we will take your pet to the closest veterinary emergency clinic. If a vet visit is needed, the vet bill will be added to your daycare or boarding invoice.

It is natural for dogs to lose a small amount of weight while boarding. Most of the weight loss is attributed to the excitement of being with other guests and the exercise they receive while playing with their friends. Your dog is getting constant activity, which is different from their more sedentary lifestyle at home. Therefore, they burn a lot more calories during their boarding visit, which is why we recommend increasing their food slightly. Additionally, some dogs may not eat all of their food or any food during certain feedings, as they are in a new environment, and may also lose a pound or two for this reason. If we see this is happening, we will add pumpkin or wet food to entice him to eat.

Yes, male dogs need to be neutered and all female dogs spayed by the time they are six months old. We understand that veterinarians now recommend that full-blooded, large-breed male dogs not be neutered until they are one year old or older. While we will try to accommodate these new rules, it does depend on how well he gets along with other dogs. If not being neutered starts interfering with group play, then your pet will not be allowed to be in group play until after he is neutered. All females must be spayed by six months old.

Our daycare and boarding facility has limited space and frequently reaches 100% occupancy. Due to this, the Hipster Hound reserves the right to charge the full appointment fee in the event of any of the following scenarios:

• Daycare appointments that are cancelled or changed on the day of the scheduled appointment date.
• Daycare appointments during peak times and around holidays (listed below) that are cancelled or changed within 24 hours (1 day) of the scheduled appointment date.
• Boarding appointments that are cancelled or changed within 48 hours (2 days) of the originally scheduled start date.
• Boarding appointments are scheduled during peak times and around holidays (listed below) that are cancelled or changed within 72 hours (3 days) of the originally scheduled start date.
• "No Shows" on the scheduled start date of Daycare and Boarding appointments.

Peak Times: Spring Break, Summer Months, Local College Game Weekends

Holidays: St Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day

Holiday Boarding: Boarding appointments over the Holidays listed above require that a deposit of half the base cost of the stay be paid at the time of booking. An active credit card must also be attached to the Client's account to retain any Holiday Bookings. Cancellation requests received two weeks or more before the scheduled start date will receive a full refund of their deposit.

Cancellation requests received 7 days or more before the scheduled start date will receive half of their deposit refunded. Cancellation and change requests received within 7 days of the originally scheduled start date will not result in a refund of the deposit. As stated earlier in this document, cancellation and change requests received within 72 hours (3 days) of the originally scheduled start date may incur charges covering the full cost of the reservation.

Cancellation requests must be submitted through text or email for documentation purposes. We cannot accept verbal cancellations without a corresponding text or email.