At this time of year, whenever the sun breaks through on a weekend, backyard gardeners rush to take the opportunity to get their gardens blooming and their lawns tidily mowed. And nothing can be so frustrating as to have your garden or lawn ship-shape, only to have Rufus decide to do some personal mining in it. The following is Ian Dunbar's take on digging - its' causes and what can be done to minimize the destruction: 

Why Do Dogs Dig? 

Dogs dig to bury bones, and later to dig them up again. Dogs dig cooling hollows in the summer, and warming pits in the winter. Dogs dig after eavesdropping on private ultrasonic conversations of subterranean critters. Bitches dig dens when they are pregnant. Dogs dig out of boredom, and dogs dig to escape.

But by and large, most dogs dig for the sheer fun of it.  

Dogs Don't See Your Problem

Prevent Digging in Your Absence

Redirect Digging to a Digging Pit

Garden Rules

For those of you who still purchase daycare one day at a time, it's worth considering buying a package. Here's all you need to know to help you make a decision.   

Why should I consider purchasing a package?

If your pup is a regular visitor to Wag Zone, packages are a great way for you to maximize savings. Get one day free when you buy 9 with a 10-day package. Triple your savings by opting for a 20-day package and getting 3 days free for the price of 17.

Another benefit to being a package 'member' is that if you need dog care on Sunday or a Statutory Holiday and we have boarding dogs on site, your pup can join us between 9-5. Please note that to take advantage of Sunday/Holiday care, reservations are required no less than 24 hours in advance. Spaces are limited and subject to availability depending on how many boarding dogs are on site. A package day must be used when attending on a Sunday.

What packages do you offer and how much do they cost?

Packages are designed to offer you savings on the length of day you typically use:

10-Packs

Regular Days (6-12 hours)          $283.50 + HST

Half Days (4-6 hours)                 $247.50 + HST

20-Packs

Full Days (6-12 hours)                $535.50 + HST

How long do packages remain valid?

Packages have no expiration date. However, if your pet hasn't visited Wag Zone in several years, we may require an additional 'interview' to ensure they are still pack friendly before accepting them back into the pack.

What if my pup stays longer than my package type?

If your dog is on a 4-6 hour plan, the overtime fee will is $4.

What if my dog only stays for a couple of hours? Can you reduce my package by a half day?

Unfortunately no. Packages can only be reduced in full-day increments. You can opt to pay the regular daycare charges for a short day and leave your package days unchanged or you can simply use up a full package day. Just let us know your preference when you pick your dog up.

My dog will be boarding - will this affect my package? If my dog stays after 9am on the pick-up day, can I use a package day?

Boarding is completely separate from daycare packages and your package will remain unchanged. Daycare package days cannot be used towards any daycare incurred as part of the boarding stay. We do, however, also offer boarding packages that allow you to take advantage of volume pricing, even if your dog only stays one night:

10-Day Boarding Package    $420 +HST     = up to $100 in savings! 

20-Day Boarding Package    $800 +HST     = up to $240 in savings!

30-Day Boarding Package    $1,110 +HST  = up to $450 in savings!

Can I cancel my package?

No, packages are non-refundable except in the event a dog is expelled at Wag Zone's discretion.

I have two dogs. Can I buy one package for them to share?

Packages are non-transferable and can only apply to one dog. If you also purchase a package for your second dog, however, you will be able to enjoy an additional 10% discount on that package's cost.

How can I tell how many package days my dog has remaining?

Our online system makes it easy to track your pet's visits, reservations and remaining package days. Simply activate your online account and you will be able to view your pet's personalized calendar showing past visits, future reservations and the number of visits still available on your package. You can also ask a Wag Zone representative and we can tell you how many days you have left.  

   

Each newsletter we will introduce you to another talented and committed Wag Zone team member that your pup calls friend.

Celeste has been an animal lover from the start. As a child, her family had a beautiful German shepherd named Bella. Celeste and Bella were inseparable. Cat-sitting "Phoebe-girl" for a friend that started off as a 2-week agreement, got extended to a whole year! She once "rescued" a turtle that was crossing the road only to be told by the SPCA that it was an indigenous turtle that she should return to where she found it, or perhaps to the other side of the road!!

After high school Celeste attended UBC for her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She was lucky to have Professor Stanley Coren, an expert in canine behavior and human bonding for 4 semesters. "It maintained my interest in human-dog interactions, but at that point, I hadn't considered employment in this area". A year later, she was accepted to the School of Community and Regional Planning at UBC, and completed her Master's Degree.

Celeste came to Wag Zone with diverse work experience that included: recreation consultant, environmental research assistant, executive assistant for the Midwives Association of BC, and more. Over the years, she was a repeat volunteer for Globe Conferences and Earth Day Canada, but it was volunteering at a doggy day care that eventually brought Celeste to Wag Zone. Celeste realized that making a living doing something that is meaningful and that you love was most important to her.

The Wag Zone pack varies from day to day and Celeste enjoys the challenge! Before leaving for work, she checks the Wag Zone software to see which dogs will be part of the pack that day. This way she can plan what playgroups would work best, and she can remind herself what she is working on with individual dogs. Celeste often gets creative with new games for the pack, making sure to include every single dog: for example, the game of "find it" with essential oils. "Even if some of the pups do not succeed in finding the item that was 'tagged' with essential oil, using their sense of smell is great mental stimulation for all of them".

Celeste's solid pack management skills and her desire to see all of the dogs on any given day engaged with the pack make her a perfect fit. "For me, working at Wag Zone is so rewarding, it's the dogs, they can't help it, they make every day special. Oh, my co-workers are fantastic too!"

Well, we're sure glad Celeste enjoys working here because we appreciate the kindness, dedication and resourcefulness Celeste brings to Wag Zone.