Frequently Asked Questions

This is an exclusive structured daycare program, which means that dogs take turns having play/social time outside and downtime in a Casa or inside. Synergy Cane9 believes in a structured and balanced environment to help dogs achieve their optimal mental, physical, and emotional fulfillment. Rotating between play and rest is part of this structure. This also creates a similar scenario to the regular home environment where there are times of play or walks and times for rest and relaxation.

We divide social groups based on size and temperament. This ensures that our bigger, more vigorous dogs can socialize without accidentally harming our smaller members. In some cases, we find that our gentle, larger dogs get overwhelmed around big dogs and are more comfortable with our smaller members. Similarly, some of our smaller members enjoy 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 members.

The Social Day is an exclusive weekly event with many dogs that struggle with socializing and/or do not have many dog friends. Since this is an invite only club, we have an excellent working understanding of your dog and who their friends are. We will continue to help them grow in their social skills and confidence by introducing a new dog to them from time to time.

As our first line of defense against contagious pathogens, we always ask that dogs stay 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 be brought to Synergy Cane9. 

However, just like kids pass the cold and flu at school, it’s possible your dog may come down with something while at Synergy Cane9. 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 Synergy Cane9 should be flea free. 

All dogs showing symptoms of the above illnesses are immediately removed from the group 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 or short potty breaks depending on their energy levels. 

Dogs will be dogs. 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, 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 group 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 socialization or boarding, your dog may 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 visiting Synergy Cane9. Just like how we would get sore after a full day of running, playing, jumping, and rolling around, your dog may get sore after visiting Synergy Cane9.

Since we live in a desert, it is very important that we keep our dogs cool throughout the day. All of our inside rooms are temperature-controlled and equipped with high-powered fans so dogs can cool down as they rest between their rotations outside. Outside, 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 shallow pool for them to play in on hot days, which, here in Arizona, is most days!

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 for socialization and play, dogs rest in their own Casa in an air conditioned room. All dogs have their own, clean bed and/or blanket in their Casa. Additionally, we have fresh water bowls inside and outside at all times.

It is common for dogs to forget to drink water during Social Day. 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. 

Since our programs and boarding are only for clients and not available to the general public, we know each dog extremely well and have worked with their behaviors.

If any significant or new behavioral issues arise, we will contact you to discuss. 

If you don’t hear from us, your dog is having a great time! Occasionally we will text pictures or short videos of your dog during their visit as time allows. In general, we will only reach out to you if your dog has medical or significant behavioral issues. 

You can check out our Instagram @NiceyNiceyClub or @SynergyCane9 throughout the day to see the dogs in action. If you have an Instagram for your dog or would like to be tagged, let us know at drop-off/pick-up. We’d love to share and connect with you on social media!

1. Your dog’s profile: 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 Social Day. 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 Synergy Cane9.

4. All dog parents must complete the Synergy Cane9 agreement. Please read through this to ensure you understand and are comfortable with our policies and expectations. 

Boarding

General:

We charge per night. For pick-ups later than 7:00 pm we charge a $20 fee for the last day.

We are available Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday & Sunday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you need to schedule an after hours pick-up, please text (480) 647-5054

Bring only your dog’s food, leash, collar, and any medications.

Please leave your dog’s other 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, pig ears, or Kong’s.

Tips for pick-up and drop-off:

1. Your dog will feel your energy at pick-up and drop-off. It is best for you to be calm and confident. 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!

2. It might take your dog a few visits to get fully comfortable with their new environment. 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.

Other General Info:

When arriving at Synergy Cane9, 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 Synergy Cane9. All symptoms of any illness must be resolved to resume attendance.

Synergy Cane9 prices, policies, services, and hours are subject to availability and can change without notice.