Frequently Asked Questions

Daycare, overnight boarding, and grooming.

To get started, book your trial day today! Every dog must come for a trial day in order to determine if we’re a good fit. Once the trial day is complete, you can book any daycare or overnight boarding you wish.

We are far from a traditional kennel. While the dogs still sleep and eat in their own spaces, they do get to come out and play for the day with the rest of the daycare pack. Group play, pack hikes, and lounging on the couches are all part of a day at The Ridge.

You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly.

Trial day - $54

Daycare Full Day - $54
Daycare Half Day - $38

Overnight Boarding - $92/night
Overnight Daycare Extension - $38
Peak Rates over Major Holidays - additional $13/night

Grooming - Always quoted. Please reach out via email for more details or visit the grooming page for a basic starting point.

All pricing is subject to HST.

The Ridge is run by Rachel and her business partner, Emily, alongside our team of staff members. We work together to provide the dogs with care, attention, and consistent routines throughout their stay.

Rachel lives on the property. When she’s away, Emily is home and manages The Ridge with our team. When Emily is away, Rachel is home. We coordinate our holidays so we are never both away at the same time.

From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., the dogs settle into their individual rooms for the night. Staff check in using our on-site cameras during these hours. These are overnight camera checks, rather than continuous, in-room supervision.

Our client appointment hours are separate from our dog-care routines. Meals, exercise, bathroom breaks, and attention continue outside our drop-off and pickup windows, including weekends and holidays.

Our scheduled Sunday pickup is at 8:30 a.m. Not offering Sunday afternoon pickups does not mean no one is there caring for the dogs. Set appointment times help us maintain consistent routines and plan our team’s day around the dogs in our care.

Tuesday through Friday, our boarding guests join our daycare routine. Staff arrive between 6:00 and 6:30 a.m. to greet the overnight guests, prepare and serve breakfast, and open outdoor access for their morning bathroom breaks.

Daycare dogs arrive between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. Throughout the day, we spend time playing with the dogs, heading out on field hikes, and providing grooming services for those with appointments. Half-day pickups take place between noon and 1:00 p.m., and full-day pickups run from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m., our overnight guests begin winding down and enjoy dinner in their individual rooms. Staff then take a break while the dogs settle in for some quiet rest.

Staff return during the evening, between 6:00 and 10:00 p.m., for bathroom breaks and bedtime care before tucking everyone in for the night.

On days when daycare isn’t running, our boarding guests enjoy a more relaxed pace with the same level of care. Meals and bathroom breaks follow roughly the same timing as our daycare days.

We schedule three staff shifts—morning, afternoon, and evening—with time for outdoor play, socializing with other dogs, and attention from our team. Between shifts, the dogs rest in their individual rooms. This gives the day a more structured balance of activity and quiet time.

Weekend drop-offs and pickups take place at specific scheduled times to fit our care routines and respect that The Ridge operates on our home property. These appointment windows are separate from the time we spend caring for the dogs.

At this time, we are not accepting intact dogs over six months of age. Intact puppies up to six months may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.

We respect that you may choose to wait until your dog is older before spaying or neutering. However, hormone-related behaviours can affect interactions between dogs, so this policy helps us maintain a safe and comfortable group environment.

Please bring enough food for your dog’s stay, plus a little extra just in case. Clearly label it with your dog’s name and include feeding instructions. Our storage space is limited, so please choose a suitably sized bag or container rather than a large bin.

You can leave food and water bowls at home—we provide our own to keep cleaning routines consistent and help us organize and track meals.

You’re welcome to bring your dog’s bed from home. Familiar smells can help them feel more comfortable and settled during their stay.

Yes. Please bring your dog’s medication in its original packaging, with the veterinary label and dosing instructions clearly visible. If the medication comes with a dosing syringe, please include it as well.

You must have an emergency contact on file who is available and able to pick up your dog if they become unwell during their stay.

We will attempt to contact you first, followed by your emergency contact, to arrange pickup and discuss our concerns. If we cannot reach either of you, we may take your dog to an emergency veterinary clinic for assessment and treatment.

No. Please keep your dog home if they have any of these symptoms. If symptoms develop during daycare or boarding, you or your emergency contact must arrange immediate pickup.

We share videos on our Instagram Stories at @theridgekennels during daycare hours, Tuesday through Friday, when most of the action happens!

We often post on weekends too, but these days have a more relaxed pace with scheduled rest time, and our team takes breaks from social media. Fewer posts simply mean less time on camera—your dog’s care and attention continue.

If you’d like a weekend update, you’re always welcome to message us. We’re happy to share photos or arrange a phone call or video chat to let you know how your dog is doing.

We understand that things happen that are outside of your control.

For boarding and daycare, please text or call us to let us know about your ETA so we can come up with a plan together.

If you are late for grooming, you may lose your appointment time and need to reschedule.

A non-refundable deposit is due at the time of booking to reserve your dog’s stay. If you need to cancel or change your reservation, please let us know as soon as possible.

Deposits remain non-refundable if you choose to cancel because of reported kennel cough or another contagious canine illness at The Ridge. While we take precautions to reduce the spread of illness, we cannot eliminate the risk in a social environment where dogs interact and share spaces.

Please consider this risk before booking. We will communicate known illness concerns so you can make an informed decision about your dog’s attendance.

Please arrive during your booked drop-off or pickup time. These appointments help us coordinate care for the dogs and manage traffic on our home property. If you’re running late or need to change your time, please contact us before arriving so we can confirm what’s possible.

On the driveway: Our long driveway is a single lane. If another vehicle is approaching, wait at the top or bottom until it is clear. If you meet partway, use the passing area near the halfway house/cow barn. Please stay on the pavement and do not drive onto the grass.

When parking: Follow the direction of traffic and park in the designated parking area. Please avoid pulling directly up to the building or blocking access for other vehicles.

At the office: Keep your dog securely leashed. If another family is already inside, please wait outside with enough space for them to exit safely before entering.

Thank you for helping us keep arrivals and departures calm and safe for everyone!

Rabies, DAPP, and Bordatella are all mandatory vaccinations to participate at The Ridge for boarding, daycare, and grooming. We also would like all dogs to be on a flea and tick preventative.

Kennel cough is a common, highly contagious respiratory illness that can spread anywhere dogs gather—including daycare, boarding, grooming, dog parks and training classes. Similar to colds in people, it can spread easily, and dogs may be contagious before they show any symptoms.

We take cleaning seriously! We clean and disinfect our indoor and outdoor spaces daily using Prevail, including boarding rooms, daycare rooms, the office, door handles, food and water bowls, and outdoor turf.

These precautions help reduce the risk, but even with thorough cleaning and vaccination, we cannot eliminate it completely. Being around other dogs always carries some risk of catching a contagious illness.

The Bordetella vaccine helps protect against one of the common causes of kennel cough and can reduce the severity of illness, but it does not protect against every virus or bacterium involved. Vaccinated dogs can still become sick.

Most cases are mild, but puppies, senior dogs and dogs with underlying health conditions may be more vulnerable to complications. Please speak with your vet about your dog’s individual risk before booking.

If your dog develops a cough or seems unwell, please keep them home, let us know and contact your vet. This helps us protect the other dogs in our care.