Sitter Ped Dog Operating Procedures 2025
Contents:
1. General boarding policies - License display physical and website, premises, covering.
2. Record keeping
3. Health and safety within the home
4. Cleaning and disinfection procedure
5. Transportation
6. Feeding procedure
7. Enrichment activities
8. Exercise policy
9. Monitoring health and welfare of dogs
10. Other animals
11. Disease control and prevention
12. Death or escape of an animal procedure
13. Emergency care for boarding dogs
14. Waste disposal
15. Fire policy and escape plan
16. Vaccination/titer, flea and worming treatment policies
17. Medication policy
18. Puppies under 1 year old procedure
19. Neutering policy
20. Emergency procedures
This is a working document and is available upon request. A copy will be uploaded onto the website and may be updated on a monthly basis.
1. General Boarding policies. The license number must be displayed on the wall by the entrance door of the house (where clients enter from. The license number is also displayed on the business website. The premises is of sound construction and only registered tradespeople will be used to complete works. No more than the stated number of dogs on the license will be accepted at any one time. All policies will be pointed out to clients and clients may take a hard copy away if desired. If it is deemed that boarding can no longer continue due to extremes of temperature or any other emergency, the client and or emergency contact will be required to collect their dog. Written consent is obtained prior to boarding. Dogs are free to room the house and have the option to sleep downstairs in the dinner room on their own bed or on the sofa in the living room area, and upstairs in the main bedroom as well as have the use of the kitchen. The owners provide their bed and are encouraged to provide a blanket that smells of home to help the dog relax. Dogs can be crated overnight if that is the owner's routine. Resident dogs sleep upstairs. Dogs are not left alone in any 24-hour period for more than 3 hours. Dogs that suffer from separation anxiety and are prone to barking are not left alone and the other key holder can provide company if the licensee must be out for a period. Dogs can accompany the licensee if appropriate. All dogs are thoroughly assessed, and allowances made. If dogs are to be left alone, they are separated from resident dogs and any other boarding dog unless the client has given consent, and the radio left on for company. Barking is monitored and action taken if dogs bark for a period.
2. Record Keeping All boarding is subject to a meet and greet with the resident dog and a full risk assessment will be caried out when meeting with my doughter, who is under 16 years old, a day trial arranged to get the client's dog familirased with the house and the license holder, an overnight trial if boarded for more then 3 nights to also get familiar with the enviroment, and the boarding forms being completed fully. Specific boarding forms must include name and address of client, Name, breed, color of dog, microchip number, date of birth, vaccination/titre dates, flea and worming treatment dates, Insurance and vet details, temperament of dog, consent for dogs to be walked, housed and fed with other dogs, exercise expectations, medication, allergy details and any other relevant details. All records are kept on a central spreadsheet on the business laptop and backed up on a physical folder. All records are confidential, the records are encrypted, and a suitable firewall and virus protection software is installed. All records must be viewed with data protection in mind. The records will be regularly updated. The records will be available to the licensee and emergency contact. The records will be retained for three years and archived after.
3. Health and Safety within the home. Health and safety will be always maintained within the home. All dogs to be housed in a suitable environment, which is always kept clean and safe. All electrical equipment including smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors are inspected yearly and repaired or replaced as needed. All gas equipment to be inspected and maintained by a qualified engineer yearly. The house will be inspected daily for any repairs needed. The garden will be inspected daily for any repairs needed. All gates will be checked once a day minimum for wear and tear. A regular cleaning regime is in place and home maintained. All health and safety will be considered when cooking/cleaning and dogs will be kept away from heat sources or being able to ingest anything. All boarders are part of our family and are looked after to the high standard that we look after our own dog. All indoor bins are secured pedal bins, and the wheelie bins are located behind a gate and not accessible to dogs.
4.Cleaning and Disinfection procedure. General cleaning will be done daily, and a good state of cleanliness will be maintained. All sides are wiped down before and after use, floors swept daily, food and water bowls washed daily, throws and bedding washed every three days. A thorough dust, polish, vacuum and disinfect will be done on a weekly basis. Any spillages/accidents will be cleaned up as soon as seen. The garden will have excrement removed a minimum of once daily and food preparation areas will be cleaned prior and after preparation. An antibacterial cleaner and antibacterial wipes, with kitchen roll will be used to maintain areas. Antibacterial hand wash will be available by all sinks. Dogs can be hosed down and washed outside in good weather to clean dogs after walks. The lawn will be hosed down every other day and checked for defects. Grass will be disinfected every two weeks in summer months and monthly during winter months. Gravel will be hosed down every other day and disinfected as needed. All dogs will be removed when cleaning is taking place.
5. Transportation policy. The car is insured to transport animals and regularly checked and maintained, whilst being serviced as needed. The car has a metal boot guard to keep them from jumping into the back seat. The boot has two dog belts fitted onto the rear seat. A Vet bedding is used in the boot and is changed every other day and laundered at 60 degrees. Any rubbish or bags of excrement are disposed of in the appropriate bins. The car is swept and mopped out weekly and thoroughly disinfected every other week. Seat covers are laundered regularly at 60 degrees. Two boarded dogs travel in the boot and one in the back seat with the dog belt fasted. The back seat cover is clean and disinfected daily and removed when cleaning is taking place.
6.Feeding Procedure. Clients are asked to give written permission for their dogs to be fed in the presence of other dogs. All dogs are thoroughly assessed and watched during feeding time to make sure they are eating, not galloping their food (A slow feeder can be recommended to clients) or struggling to chew their food. Dogs will eat separately and at differing times to resident dogs. Unless stated all dog food is to be provided by the client. Clients will be asked to give written details on timings, amounts, type of food, allergies, intolerances and kinds of bowls dogs eat from. All bowls and feeders will be provided by the client and must be dishwasher safe. All bowls will be washed in the dishwasher daily. The food will be stored in the fridge and freezer or in the secure clean plastic containers in the dog cupboard next to the dishwasher. Dogs' food intake will be monitored per meal and advice sought from a vet if the dog continues to refuse food after 24 hours. Multiple water bowls will be provided, and water changed a minimum of twice daily. All bowls will be washed in the dishwasher daily. No food to be left down and will be removed and disposed of in the outside bin after each meal. All bowls will be lifted and placed in the sink area for manual washing. A dedicated work surface to be used to prepare food and to be washed before and after food prep. All basic hygiene rules will be adhered to by anyone preparing food.
7.Enrichment activities. All boarders will have access to enrichment activities within the home and garden. Kong wobblers, enrichment games, toys, lick mats and a paddling pool. Dogs that are on restricted exercise or other reasons will interact with mind game type toys. These toys are a great way to bond and interact so will be used with license to get the most from. Lick mats are a great way to expel energy while using minimum physical exercise and mentally tire a dog out by using natural instincts. All toys will be supervised and agreed with usage with the client prior to boarding. Outside enrichment can include soft foam gentle agility equipment. All dogs will be checked over physically and all equipment checked for suitability prior to use. A paddling pool will be provided with shallow water for dogs to cool off in warmer months. The equipment will all be inspected prior to use and cleaned or discarded as necessary. Grooming and interaction will take place multiple times per day. All dogs will live as part of the family and will interact with all members throughout the day and evening.
8.Exercise Policy. All individual needs will be addressed with older dogs having a different type and duration of exercise. Dogs under a year old will get 5 mins of exercise for every month of their life twice daily. Adult dogs in good health will get two walks minimum per day. One long walk 40 min +, which with the owners written permission can include off lead exercise and ball games and another lead/off lead walk for a minimum of 20 mins. Every care will be taken to ensure dogs' individual exercise needs are met with agreement with the client. The 40 min + walk can include the beach (from April 30th to October 1st) surrounding area where we live and local dog friendly parks and field. Use of secure exercise fields can be hired if a dog has recall issues or needs privacy. The shorter walk can be around the park area located approximately 3 mins walk away from the property. All walking equipment must be provided by the client. We encourage our clients to use secure harnesses and soft leads. No extendable leads are permitted due to unreliability. All equipment provided must be in a clean and safe state. I hold a stock of strong leads that can be used. All equipment will be inspected prior to use. All walks and equipment use is agreed with clients upon drop off. All dogs must have a collar/harness with the client’s name, address and number on. We will only walk boarding dogs with one of our collars or identity tags on. Our tags include our name, and number. No more than 3 dogs will be walked at any one time. All dogs will be assessed and make sure they are a compatible group. All dogs will be in a safe controlled manner and will not cause any disruption to other people or animals. I have public liability, and I’m fully insured to walk up to 3 dogs. Every precaution is taken to maintain a safe walk and all walks are familiar and considered safe. When the boarding dogs aren't being walked, they have access to the garden. The garden has one outer gate and one inner gate so there are two physical barriers to the outside. The fencing is four-foot timber fencing that is inspected daily. The garden is grassed. Lighting is provided if it's dark outside and all gates are lockable from the inside. Dogs are always supervised in the garden and any noise is stopped immediately by distraction techniques. Clients are asked in writing to confirm their dogs can have use of the garden with resident and visiting dogs. Dogs will be always supervised. In the case of extreme weather, the type and level of exercise will be modified. In cases of extreme heat, the boarders will have short walks early morning or late evening. Dogs will be walked on lead and encouraged to be calm and take regular water and shade breaks. Enrichment will be provided at home, and a supervised paddling pool will be available. Cooling mats are provided in summer months. In the case of snow exercise will be limited, clients will provide coats for their dogs. Boarders will be dried off and heating used to keep them comfortable. In blizzard conditions dogs will have enrichment at home and be walked at calmer times. All paws will be rinsed after walking on pavements due to gritting. Dogs will be monitored closely and if they appear to be in distress or not enjoying the weather the walk will be halted and returned home. In very wet conditions walks will continue unless the dog appears to be unhappy or in distress. Dogs will not be walked in thunder and lightning storms and will receive enrichment at home and distraction techniques used. The radio and use of low lighting will be used if dogs become upset by the storms. If dogs are boarding at a time when fireworks are in use the walks will be during daylight hours and dogs will be supervised in the garden at those times.
9. Monitoring Health and Welfare. Dogs will be physically checked over every day for lumps and bumps, ears, eyes and mouth checked, coat checked, and paws inspected after every walk. In winter months paws will be rinsed off after walks and in summer months surfaces will be checked for heat. Dog's food intake and general demeanour will be assessed at least once a day but continuously. Dogs that are showing signs of stress will be given their own space and time in the garden, low lighting and the use of the radio. They can also have time on their own and will be provided with the blankets or beds from their own home. All clients will fill in the boarding form and will be asked to give details of the dog's disposition. All dogs will come for a meet and greet, and a decision will be made after discussion on their suitability. Techniques will be discussed to maintain a calm atmosphere with clients. All observations about dog's health and welfare will be recorded on the "Dog Welfare Document" daily. All dogs will be handled gently, and reward-based training techniques will be used. All clients will be advised that any equipment provided by them must be maintained and not be an aversive training tool. The use of choke chains, shock collars, prong collars, anti-bark collars, half choke collars is strictly prohibited, and all clients will understand that we will not use them. No aversive methods will be used. If dogs are boarding during the periods that fireworks are in use, a den for them to escape to and the radio and TV will be used to distract them. Dogs will only be let in the garden during quiet periods and will be supervised throughout. Dogs will be given the choice of company or to hide away at this time.
10. Other Animals. All boarding dogs will have a meet and greet session with the resident dogs in their home. The session will last at least 30 minutes and will include a walk. Dogs will initially meet on the lead and be allowed to sniff and get used to each other until we feel that they can safely interact. Resident dogs can use the back part of the garden and exit if needed. Dogs will have no opportunity to physically interact with other animals other than dogs.
11. Disease control and prevention. All clients will provide medical details prior to the stay and appropriate treatment will be agreed. All dogs considered infectious will not be permitted and their boarding will be cancelled. If any dog shows signs of infection, their space will be limited to the room upstairs until the dogs can be collected by the emergency contact or the client. The client will be asked to come and collect their dog and if they cannot their emergency contact will come to collect. This will be agreed prior to boarding. Resident dogs will be housed away from the kitchen and can use the back entrance and back part of the garden at differing times. All necessary steps including clothing will be disposed of or washed in the washing machine at 60 degrees. All bedding will be washed at 60 degrees or disposed of at the waste disposal site. All water and food bowls will be separated and washed in the dishwasher separately. All advice will be taken from our vets with the handling of the boarder. All other boarding dogs will be asked to be collected too. All toys will be disinfected and washed between boarding dogs.
12. Death or escape of an animal procedure. If any boarding dog becomes unwell or dies during boarding the client will be informed immediately and asked to come to the boarding establishment. All actions will be taken under advice from our vet. Deceased dogs will be taken to the client’s vets to await the return of their owner promptly. If our vet feels that a dog must be euthanized consent from the client will be obtained prior to or the interests of the dog considered. Every effort will be made to contact the owner or emergency contact, but the welfare of the dog comes first. Any euthanasia must be performed by a qualified vet. In the case that a dog escapes from the home or on a walk every effort will be made to find the dog and both the emergency contact and client will be contacted immediately. All local vets will be contacted along with the dog warden. The use of social media may be used if the client consents. The business insurance company will be contacted as soon as possible.
13. Emergency care for boarding dogs. If the boarding establishment becomes uninhabitable due to lack of heating, owners will be contacted and asked to collect their dogs or emergency contact will be asked to collect their dogs. All clients will be informed of this prior to boarding. If the establishment is out of use for any reason, owners will be contacted and asked to collect their dogs or emergency contacts will be asked to collect their dogs. All clients will give written consent prior to boarding. If the temperature is extreme either hot or cold every measure will be taken to ensure the establishment becomes habitable. Fans are used in the summer, but if dogs continue to struggle boarding will be halted and the client or emergency contact will be asked to collect their dogs. Extreme weather including flood, snow and drought, every precaution will be taken to make dogs comfortable. If natural flooding occurs, all dogs will be evacuated following emergency services advice. In the case of extreme snow advice will be taken from emergency services and forecasts. Fans and extra refreshment will be provided in the case of drought.
14. Waste disposal. All dog faces will be removed from the garden at least once per day and disposed of in the secured waste bin located outside behind the gate and away from the dogs. The bin will be emptied every 2 weeks or if full before that and disposed of at the waste disposal site, located at the Nuffield Industrial Estate.
15. Fire policy and escape plan. The establishment has a fire extinguisher housed in the shoe cupboard, located under the stair and a fire blanket in the kitchen hooked on the side of the tall cupboard. Three battery smoke alarms, located in the kitchen, hallway and upstairs hallway. One Carbon monoxide detector is in the kitchen near the boiler. All are inspected and tested weekly, and changed as necessary. The two exits are kept free of obstructions and can be locked from the outside and inside. In case of a kitchen fire the front exit can be used. In case of a living room fire the front or back exit can be used to exit the property. Dogs can be secured in the car and taken to a safe point. All gas equipment is inspected yearly and serviced by qualified gas safe engineers. All electrical and gas equipment is visually inspected and tested when used. The designated key holder lives on the premises too, but another key holder lives 10 min drive away and can be contacted at all times in case of emergency.
16. Vaccination/titre, flea and worming treatment policies. All clients must bring with them and show up to date vaccination records or titre test results. All boarding dogs must have had their primary vaccinations four weeks prior to boarding. All vaccinations must have been given by a qualified vet and be licensed in the UK. All boarding dogs must have been treated with appropriate flea, worming and tick prevention medication prior to boarding. If any dog appears infected, they will be treated using medication from their vets and at the owner's expense. All clients will be aware of the policy prior to boarding. If an infestation is discovered all bedding, throws, soft furnishing will be washed and treated with a treatment recommended by our vet. Any areas the dog has been will be treated appropriately.
17. Medication policy. Customers. must provide all medication for their dogs in a plastic labelled box. Labelled with dogs name, frequency and dosage. The inside fridge can be used to store medicines if needed. All medicines must be returned to the client when boarding ceases.
18. Puppies under 1 year old procedure. Toilet trained puppies are welcomed and all puppies must have completed their primary vaccinations. Puppies are treated like one of the family and experience as much of everyday life as possible. Puppies spend lots of one-on-one time with the licensee and are given the opportunity to socialise with people and other friendly assessed dogs. Regular toilet breaks are given to encourage toilet training. All puppies are fed separately in a safe area and supervised throughout their stay. Note is taken of the recommended exercise regimes and puppies are encouraged to walk off lead in safe areas with the owner's consent. The use of a training line is permitted to ensure a safe walk. Owners are encouraged to provide harnesses for puppies on training lines. Increased feeds are adhered to and toileting habits are closely monitored. Puppies are examined and handled regularly to acclimatise them to regular contact in case of a vet visit. The right kind of socialisation is encouraged and any play between dogs is closely monitored and an intervention if play becomes too raucous. Basic force free training techniques are used to help puppies continue to develop during their stay.
19. Neutering policy. All clients are advised that we prefer dogs to be neutered prior to boarding. If boarders are unable to be neutered, they will be boarded on their own or with another dog from the same household. If a bitch comes into season during her stay, advice from our vet will be taken. No intact males will be permitted on the premises if an unneutered bitch is on the premises.
20. Emergency procedures. If any boarding dog is injured or becomes unwell immediate treatment will be sought with either our vet, or if local, the clients vet. Consent will be obtained from the client to make decisions based on the vet's advice. Clients will be contacted and their emergency contact wherever possible before any treatment is given. Consent to make decisions based on the vet's advice will be given. The main folder and business phone will have all relevant numbers as will the spreadsheet. If a dog is injured on a walk the dog will be taken to the nearest vet and emergency treatment will be given. Clients will give consent for emergency treatment to be carried out. The client or emergency contact will be contacted at the earliest opportunity. A first aid kit is kept in the car and an emergency first aid course is currently being attended by the license holder. If the boarding license is revoked while boarding dogs are staying the client or emergency contact will be asked to remove the dogs immediately. All clients will be informed of this prior to boarding. In case of any emergency the named contact will take over the care of the animals and have access to the central spreadsheet, business phone and physical folder. All mentioned documents will have all details needed and all clients.
Emergency contact and designated key holder contact details.
Fire Station: 01722 691018
Police Station: 01202 222222
Emergency Vet 24 Hours: 01202 747578
Animal Poison: 01202 509000
Dog Control & Animal Licensing 01202 123789
Key Holder name: Glaucia Smith
Contact number 07929345117
Home address: 70 Wharfdale Road, Poole, BH12 2EE