SERVICES OFFERED

WE ARE FULLY INSURED

WHAT WE DO AND WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US.

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​​​ATMOSPHERE: Your pup(s) will stay in a clean, organized house, have full access to our entire property, and are free to roam our house as though they were in their own home. Although pups are not allowed on our furniture, we find that giving them access to the rest of our home makes it easier for them to adjust and relax much more easily than they would in a crate or cage at a kennel. Because of this, we accept only passive pups that do not nip or snap at others. We have gates set up at every exit to keep the pups from running out whenever the door opens. We do not crate or kennel the pups since we invite them into our home as guests and want them to feel as such for a happier experience. Our backyard is always available for pup play! We give the pups as many backyard breaks as they want, throughout the day (weather permitting). This way they can run around with the other pups and play to their hearts' content! Since summers tend to get warm, we make sure our guests stay cool, which is one of the reasons we have air conditioning. We also send regular updates with photos of your pups at play or during walks, if any. 

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DAILY UPDATES: People love our communication.  

• Contact: We create group texts with you to send updates during your pup’s stay with us. This group feed can also be used to request future stays.

• Photos: You’ll receive a couple of daily messages, including pictures of play with the pack in the backyard or joining us on one of our 4-10+ mile walks.

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EXERCISE: We here at Canis Major, LLC, prioritize socialization and play in our spacious backyard (weather permitting), and make sure your pups get plenty of exercise, running, and playing with the rest of the pack. Also, we love to walk for our health, and because of this, most of your pups benefit, as we take some of them with us during our miles-long, calorie-burning walks. We may offer guaranteed walking services in the future, but in the meantime, we cannot guarantee daily walks. 

• Supervised backyard play: Weather permitting, your pups are allowed to play in our backyard multiple times throughout the day.

• Walks: We walk for our health, and we frequently walk 6-10+ miles around West Seattle.  For the dogs that owners approve can walk long distances, we pick two lucky “winners” from the pups we are boarding to join us.  A few things to know about walkies with us: 

  • We avoid dog parks: For the safety of your pup, we stay away from dog parks to avoid surprises from other pups who may not be so friendly. 

  • Minimal interactions with other pups: We do not let your pup interact with other dogs or humans during walks. This prevents potential injuries from leash-aggressive or excitable pups. 

  • Walk Speed: We walk for exercise - we do not do “sniff walks”.  We are fast-paced, focus on ensuring your pup burns off excess energy, and take minimal breaks. Our walking style helps ensure pups eat all their portions and sleep soundly! 

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EVENINGS: After close of business (7 PM).

• Sleeping and Bed Situation: Every night after dinner and potty breaks, we break out the pups' beds and lay them around the living room.  We hang out with them until bedtime. This calms them before going to sleep. The pups tend to play “musical beds” all night, so any beds may end up with fur from 3 other pups!  The pups also sleep as a pack, and this is one main reason we are so particular about pups going through our temperament screening process before boarding with us. 

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SAFETY: We worry about the safety of your pup, as much as you do. 

• Screening Pups: Before scheduling a meet and greet for new clients, we make sure to send each one a detailed temperament questionnaire. Your answers will help us determine if your pup will be a good fit with our regular pack. We will only schedule a meet and greet with our pup if your answers assure us it will be safe. The meet and greets are done only with our pup, Mickey. Any guest pups will not meet the potential new pack member until the boarding. 

• Toys: We do not introduce toys to the pups during their stay. We prefer to keep your pups socialized by allowing them to interact with each other. Toys may cause some pups to become possessive and defensive. Friendly socialization allows all the pups to bond and become closer. Many of our regular pups now know each other and are excited to see each other again!

• Feeding: During feeding time, each pup is separated into areas we gate off around the house so they don’t steal each other's food or provoke each other. Other times, we feed them individually in a separate room so they are not distracted by the other pups. 

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HOT, AND WET WEATHER In the winter, our backyard can become muddy and form puddles, making it difficult for the pups to remain indoors. Other times, some pups don’t want to step outside our air-conditioned home during hot summer days. Our walks tend to get spotty, as well. 

• Activities: During this time, we keep the pups' minds active with treat-based puzzles. All treats must be pup-parent approved, of course. 

• Potty Times: Bad weather can be a bummer for pups, as they are not outside much, and getting to go potty whenever they want is no longer an option. In this case, we let them out individually at specific times during a break in the weather or at least a lull. 

​In addition to providing you with the services you need to ensure your pet's health and mental well-being, we are also fully insured, so you may rest easy knowing your pup is covered in case of any unlikely accidents.

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We want your pups to feel comfortable by giving them a home atmosphere, over crates and separate rooms. Your pup will be part of our pack and will be treated as though they live with us. We only take a limited number of pups to avoid overwhelming them, so make sure you book well in advance to set up a meet and greet for your pups to come and meet Mickey and see if our home is comfortable enough for them! 

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Follow us on Instagram to keep track of your pups' adventures!

We look forward to meeting your fur children!