faq

Dogs spend the majority of time in our general playgroups supervised by staff. Staff work directly with the dogs to make sure they are socializing and playing appropriately. Oftentimes, dogs are rotated in and out of 2 different groups to allow play with dogs of similar energy and temperament. We do give breaks from the larger group if we feel it benefits the dogs to have some down-time. Keeping the dogs engaged with staff is very beneficial for a structured play group so we also work on group enrichment such as performing basic commands.

Although many dogs thrive in the daycare environment and it can be an incredibly helpful tool, daycare isn’t a good fit for every dog and it is important to consider your pet’s individual needs before enrolling them. While most dogs are highly social as puppies, some dogs lose interest or become more selective as they mature and no longer enjoy spending time in large groups. Some dogs, particularly working breeds, crave more structured stimulation and struggle in the daycare setting because there isn’t a “job” for them to do. Your dog might not be a good fit if they have a high prey drive or herding instinct. Dogs that tend to blossom in our facility enjoy the company of other dogs, are confident in large groups, and aren’t fearful of new animals or people. Your pup’s trial day is an opportunity for us to assess some of these factors and it is important to keep in mind that even if your dog does not display any of these behaviors at home that does not necessarily mean that they won’t at LULU.

Yes we have overnight staff, we offer apartment style free range boarding to select dogs that have been assessed and deemed appropriate for this kind of open setting. 

Unfortunately we cannot let customers into areas where we have groups of dogs. It is a liability for us to have anyone untrained in our protocols and procedures interact with dogs on our premises. If you are curious about what your dog gets up to during the day we are happy to take videos or photos for an additional $5 to show you how much fun they are having with their friends. We also regularly post on our “Love Us And Leave Us Pittsfield” Facebook page so be sure to check it out to see if your pet gets posted!

We pride ourselves at LULU on our fun yet calm environment and part of what makes that atmosphere possible is dogs arriving during our drop off window (between 7am and 11am on weekdays and 9am and 11am on Saturdays). For dogs the most exciting part of the day is often catching up with all of their friends when they come in in the morning. When your pup arrives after 11am all of the other dogs have already greeted each other and are no longer interested in welcoming more dogs into the group. This means that your dog might be left out or could end up bothering other dogs which means no one is having much fun. And if your dog is a party pupper they might come into a group that our attendants have painstakingly calmed down and stir everybody up for another round of greetings which can exhaust other dogs and make groups difficult to manage. We do not accept daycare dogs after 11am and we do not accept boarding dogs after 12pm. No exceptions.

Holidays and school vacations are our busiest times of the year and boarding for those periods book up about two to three weeks in advance. If you need to board your pet it is best to make their reservation as soon as possible. For daycare we tend to be fairly flexible and often are able to make reservations as late as the evening before your pet needs daycare– but there is no guarantee, especially around holidays and vacations. Our groomers are in high demand and typically book out 3-4 weeks in advance so be sure to make a grooming appointment before your pet is in desperate condition.

We do not offer any extended stay rates but we are happy to accommodate extended boarding needs and do our best to make your pet as comfortable as possible while they are away from home for longer periods of time.

Our deposit and cancellation policies:

• Boarding deposit and cancellation policy: A 50% deposit is required for all scheduled overnight stays. As such, a valid credit card must be on file in order to book your pet. During non-peak periods, you must cancel your reservation at least 72 hours in advance or your deposit will be forfeited. During peak periods, a 50%, non-refundable deposit is required. If the reservation is not canceled at least 10 days before the stay, the full amount of the stay will be charged to your credit card.
• Daycare cancellation policy: If your pet is scheduled for daycare and you cannot make it, please cancel by 6:00 am on the day they are scheduled or your credit card will be charged for the full amount.
• Grooming deposit and cancellation policy: A $50 deposit is required for all grooming appointments. If the grooming appointment is canceled at least 7 days from the appointment, the deposit can be refunded as a credit to your account. If the appointment is canceled less than 48 business hours from the appointment day, the deposit is forfeited and half of the price of the groom will be charged to the card on file (unless the deposit is greater than half of the price of the groom.)