RULES, POLICY AND EMERGENCY PLAN
Last updated 29.06.2022
1. Contents
2. Prevention of the spread of disease or infection with dogs
2. Dog’s kennels cleaning procedures
3. Inner enclosure
3. Outer enclosure
3. Dog deep cleans inside / outside
4. Vaccination policy at Rottweiler Home
5. Food policy
6. Dog playground
6. Emergency procedure in the event of loss of electricity or water
6. Electricity
7. Water
7 The care of animals in the event of a fire / other extreme circumstances
8 Staff training at Rottweiler Home
8 Accepting New Dog Boarders
9 Kennelling Dogs under the Age of one year old
10 Transporting animals on and off the premises of Rottweiler Home
10 Toy Play for Dogs at Rottweiler Home
10 The death/escape procedure of an animal on the premises of Rottweiler Home
10 DEATH
11 ESCAPE
11 Immediate Danger
12 Handling Casualties
12 Dealing with the Non-Injured
13 Helping the Emergency Services
13 Protecting the Property
Prevention of the spread of disease or infection with dogs
Should a disease or infectious outbreak become apparent on the premises of
Rottweiler Home, the local vet will be notified immediately.
The infected or ill animals will immediately be transported by Rottweiler Home to the
vet. We have 5 separated kennels if the dog is infected and requires to be
separated. Hands and arms must be washed before entering another building. Staff
will handle poorly dog with rubber gloves.
We will carry out thorough checks and do everything in our power to prevent such
incidents. As a result of this an up to date vaccination booklet must be seen upon
entering the kennels for animals to board. Dogs must have their manual boosters
including the Lepto Vaccine as well as Kennel Cough Vaccine
Dogs must be vaccinated against the following:
● parvovirus,
● distemper,
● leptospirosis
● hepatitis
● kennel cough
Dogs must have the required vaccination for their own safety as well as other animals at
Rottweiler Home.
Fleaing and worming your animals is done at the owner's personal choice. If Staff at Rottweiler Home notice an animal has worms, fleas or any other parasite, staff will contact the owner to arrange a vet visit at the owner's discretion.
In case where a dog appears to be ill to minimise cross contamination, staff will immediately
provide first aid where appropriate and take the dog to the vet.
The chemicals used to clean all of the living quarters are supplied locally. These are Pro
Kleen branded products and are dedicated for Dog Kennel disinfection and cleaning.
Rottweiler Home do NOT take in stray dogs from the council or local rescue centres
Dog’s kennels cleaning procedures
All kennels housing dogs are cleaned thoroughly twice daily with spot checks carried
out through the day. Once in the morning before meals and second time in the
evening before bedtime.
Spot checks will be carried out within every enclosure and cleaned as and when
required.
● Urine will be firstly brushed with chemicals and rinsed well with water.
● Faeces will be collected, then the area will be brushed with chemicals, then rinsed well with water.
Inner enclosure
Staff will go into each kennel after the dog has been removed from the enclosure,
the dog will be left in the central play area whilst the enclosure is being cleaned. Staff
member will check the inner and outer enclosure for faeces or urine.If the enclosure
is dirty, it will be collected. Staff members will remove the bedding, clean the inside of
the enclosure with chemical “pro-kleen” kennel cleaner then wiped dry. After cleaning
the bedding will be inspected, and if the bedding is dirty, it will be replaced with clean
bedding, If the bedding is clean,staff will pollinate the bedding and place the items
back into the enclosure.
After the enclosure is cleaned, water bowl will be collected, washed and placed back
into the enclosure with fresh water.
Outer enclosure
Staff will pick up poo in the outer enclosure, will clean the outer enclosure by
brushing and applying water, finally will treat the area with kennel cleaner.
Rottweiler Home staff member will then add several pumps of “Pro Kleen” kennel
cleaner mixed with water spraying the flooring then sponging with a dedicated mop.
Dog deep cleans inside / outside
When a dog goes home, the kennel and run will be thoroughly deep cleaned. This
ensures that any bacteria left by the previous dog is killed off before the next dog
goes into that kennel
Deep cleans are the same as regular cleans, apart from the staff will spray diluted
“kennel kleen” into the bowls, and around all of the walls too. Every wall will be
scrubbed.
All bedding will be taken out and washed and replaced with clean bedding.
Vaccination policy at Rottweiler Home
All animals that board must be up to date on all of their vaccinations.
This includes the booster which can be done every one, two or three years
depending on the vaccine brand, which protects against parvovirus, distemper and
hepatitis.
Dogs must also be vaccinated against kennel cough which will need to be done
annually, and leptospirosis, which depending on the vaccine will need to be done
between every 6 months or every year.
We require all animals to have their vaccinations up to date in order to keep all
borders safe and healthy as possible.
All vaccinations must be updated AT LEAST 14 days prior to entry. If the dog
vaccines are not up to date, or have been done within 14 days prior to the board,
your pet will not be allowed entry into the kennels.
If the DHP is done separately to the other vaccines, this is able to be done less than
14 days prior to boarding if needs to be ensured that the dog is not being over
vaccinated. The Kennel Cough and Leptospirosis must be done 14 days prior to
board with no leeway. If a dog annual booster runs out during the stay, the staff must
speak to a vet and get confirmation that the dog is safe to have their vaccine run out
during their stay with us and this will not put them, or any other boarders at risk. We
will need written confirmation of this, or take a name of the vet spoken to and at
which practice.
A current and up to date vaccination certificate must be shown to a member of staff
EVERY time you bring your pet in. If you do not bring this in, the staff will have to call
the vet and get confirmation.
If the vets cannot assure the staff that the vaccinations have been done, the animal
will not be accepted, as the risk will not be run. The dog’s microchip number is also
held inside that booklet.
We are aware some booster vaccinations for dogs can last up to three years. If the
booster of your pet lasts up to 3 years, you will not need to get it updated annually. If
the booster only lasts one year, then this WILL needs to be updated annually.
Ensuring that all vaccinations are up to date with our boarders means that the pets
within our care run much lower risk of catching anything.
Many diseases are airborne and therefore we can NOT control what is being passed
around. The majority of these vaccinations merely protect your pet from getting these
diseases, but there is always the risk any dog can catch these diseases. With our
high standards of cleaning and consistent policy with vaccinations we can minimise
and try to prevent any diseases entering the premises.
Food policy
At Rottweiler Home we give owners the choice of either using our own food for their
pets or providing their own food. There is no extra charge for our food, or a lower
price for providing your own.
For dogs we provide the following:
-
“Pedigree” branded wet and dry food
-
“Butcher’s” branded wet and dry food
-
“Country choice” wet food
-
Puppy food “Butcher” and “Pedigree” branded wet food
-
Raw vegetables and fruits
-
Raw chicken, beef, lamb meat and bones
-
Eggs (cooked or raw)
Many dogs are fine to be fed on a different food than they are fed on at home, but we
advise you provide your own food if:
● You have a puppy or a senior dog that needs special food
● If your animal has dietary requirements (i.e : no grain)
● If your animal is known to get stressed or have an upset stomach
● If your dog is fed on a raw diet.
We have suitable facilities including fridges and freezers to store your pets food. We
also have feeding and water bowls.
We will ask you how often and how much you wish for your animal to be fed and
what type of food.
If you would like your dogs to have an anti-gobble bowl you will need to provide this.
Please remind the staff every time you bring your pet.
We will maintain your dogs eating schedule whilst they are at Rottweiler Home.
We will NOT feed dogs chocolate, onions, garlic, chives, avocado, nuts, corn on the
cob, cooked bones, grapes, raisins, xylitol and alcohol.
Dog playground
Here dogs will have several times in the day where they will be given the opportunity
to roam freely on site whilst being supervised.
Firstly the dogs will have the opportunity to roam freely when their enclosure is being
cleaned, also they will have a dedicated staff member play time with toys at least
once a day. At Rottweiler home we will aim to dedicate a minimum of one hour play
time.
If you would like your dog to socialise with other dogs we will allow your dog to play
with other dogs whose owners also want their dogs to socialise.
To be on the safe side, we will split genders apart to avoid any misunderstandings.
Emergency procedure in the event of loss of electricity or water.
Electricity
In the event of a power cut, staff will ensure any power sockets that would normally
be in use are switched off to prevent a fire.
Staff will also ensure the following are turned off:
● Washing Machines
● Tumble Dryer
● Lights
● Heat Lamps/Heaters
● Fans
● Anything plugged into sockets.
As soon as the power cut has become apparent, Senior staff member will begin to
find out if it is local and will come back shortly or if someone will have to come to fix it.
If the kennels are warm and there is no access to fans, the staff will leave pop
hatches and windows slightly open to allow a breeze.
If the kennels and are cold, staff will ensure all dogs and cats have appropriate
blankets and bedding from soft beds, blankets and duvets.
When the electricity comes back on, staff will turn back on all of the essentials such
as heaters/fans, washing machine etc.
Water
In the event of water loss cleaning will still be done as thoroughly as possible.
Many bottles of water will be purchased in order to refill and keep all animals water
bowls clean and fresh.
Cleaning without water means no chemicals may be used. Spot cleans will take
place. Staff will use bottled water to scrub any urine/faeces needed. In the event that
a kennel/pen needs deep cleaning, staff will not put an animal in it until the water is
back and has been cleaned properly.
When the water does return, all kennels, pens, floors, surfaces will be deep cleaned.
Should the staff know in advance that there will be water loss, all possible buckets
will be filled up with fresh water from the taps, and all cleaning will be done around
this time.
Bottles will be kept in the fridge to ensure staff have drinking water, but to ensure
there is cold water available.
The care of animals in the event of a fire / other extreme
circumstances.
In the event of a fire or extreme circumstances on the premises of Rottweiler Home
where either kennel blocks are un-useable, the animals will be moved to a safe,
secure and comfortable situation.
Staff on site will not leave until all of the animals are accounted for, and put into a
safe environment.
Staff will always try to take as many contact numbers for each animal as possible, so
the owners will be contacted and asked if they can make arrangements for someone
to come and collect and keep their animal.
If this is not possible, Rottweiler home will temporarily house dogs inside buildings
located within Rottweiler Home separating genders and seek to board pets within
other boarding facilities available locally, ensuring that the dogs diet and lifestyle is
kept as similar as possible to theirs at Rottweiler Home.
For this reason it is essential all owners bring their own microchip numbers with their
pets and any medications that are needed.
Staff training at Rottweiler Home
All staff will undergo intense training in order to provide the best possible care for
your pets.
All senior staff have completed an animal related qualifications covering:
● Pet First Aid
● Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
● Pet Nutrition
● Introduction to benign a dog trainer
● Animal care and behaviour
● Dog Grooming
● Pet Psychology
When a member of staff is new to Rottweiler Home they will be given an induction
day, where they will be taught everything that they will need to know.
Staff will regularly undergo regular fire drills in order to keep up their knowledge of
what to do in the emergency of a fire.
All staff also receive a training booklet. This booklet covers all aspects of training
including the daily cleaning, emergencies, staff jobs etc.
This gets emailed out to all staff along with our policies and risk assessments.
In addition to this, all staff receive a certificate of attendance to show that they were
present in the training.
Proof of these events can be found with photographic evidence on Facebook and
our website.
Proof of the staff’s qualifications can be found framed in reception.
Accepting New Dog Boarders
In order to make sure that your dog will settle with us during their stay, we encourage
owners to book in a meet and greet one night board.
By using the one night board, the staff at Rottweiler home can see how the dog
behaves on the day of drop off and the day of pick up.
They are able to assess the behaviour of the new boarder during this time, and
conclude if they think kennels is a good option for your dog.
We then encourage owners to build up the stay from a couple of nights, to a week to
longer. This can help the dog feel more comfortable with the surroundings.
The staff at Rottweiler home will take as many contacts as the owner wishes, in
order to make sure they are contactable.
In order to make new boarders feel more at ease, the staff at Rottweiler home
encourage owners to bring in own bedding, toys, treats and anything they think will
make the experience happy for the dog.
Rottweiler Home also encourages owners to bring their own food in for their dog. If
they feel that they would prefer their own food, are fussy eaters or easily get an
upset stomach.
Kennelling Dogs under the Age of one year old.
Rottweiler Home does accept bookings from dogs under the age of one year old.
They must have had their booster vaccinations and kennel cough completed before
they enter.
Puppies can also need a lot more of attention in forms of exercise and mental
stimulation. Therefore, we encourage owners of young dogs to provide us with
boredom breakers such as kongs/treat balls to fill for their dog.
Where possible, staff at Rottweiler Home will try to provide additional exercise for
these young dogs, however exercise for these young dogs will be restricted to
ensure they do not hurt themselves as their bones will still be growing.
Depending on their age, the staff may not allow them to jump over the agility jumps
or swim in order to not cause any harm to their growing bones at such a young age.
We also encourage owners to bring in their own bedding/items that smell of home in
order to help the dog/puppy settle in.
Transporting animals on and off the premises of Rottweiler Home
While dogs are boarding at Rottweiler Home, they will not be taken off site unless
they need veterinary attention.
This transportation will be usually done by dedicated members of staff.
Dogs will be transported in secure, and safe crates which are secured in the car /
van which will be fitted with ventilation.
No animals will be left in the car unattended.
Dedicated members of staff will ensure that the dog is as comfortable as possible.
The crates will then be disinfected and cleaned after every vet trip.
Toy Play for Dogs at Rottweiler Home
Owners can provide toys for their animals should they wish for them to have them in
their kennel/pen. Rottweiler Home will provide toys and bones if the owner agrees.
Rottweiler Home do provide toys including footballs/tennis balls/squeaky toys for
dogs in the paddocks where the dogs go off lead. There is also basic agility
equipment in each of the paddocks.
Dogs that are given permission by their owners to be off lead, will have access to
dog toy play, and dogs that must be kept on lead will also have access to toy play.
The death/escape procedure of an animal on the premises of Rottweiler Home
Death
In the event of the death of one of the boarding dogs on the premises of Rottweiler
Home, the member of staff present must alert senior member of staff.
Staff must remain calm and try to continue working as normally as possible until a
Senior member of staff takes the situation over.
A senior member of staff will make a phone call to the owner. The vets will then be
contacted to remove the animal. It is the owners choice what will then happen to the
animal. The vets may wish to do a post mortem.
The carcass will be stored away from all animals within an isolation block until vets
arrive to remove the deceased dog or staff member may transport the carcass to the
vet, if the vet is unable to come urgently.
A thorough check of the scene will be made, to determine if the death was caused at
a fault of Rottweiler Home or not. If so, Rottweiler home will take the full
responsibility.
Escape
Here at Rottweiler Home your dog's safety is our number one priority. The compound
has several areas that are secure. There are double gates and fencing surround the
main area and in the unlikely event of an escape below procedure will apply.
As a preventative measure we will place a collar fitted with a GPS tracker.
The area will be monitored by CCTV by dedicated staff member and if it appears that
a dog is seeking to escape, staff member will stop any possibility of escape.
In the event of an escape of one of the boarding dogs on the premises of Rottweiler
home, senior members of staff will be alerted immediately.
Senior member of staff will contact the owner as well as the local council to report
the missing dog.
Additional members of staff will also undergo search of the missing dog locally.
Immediate Danger
Fire – In the event of a fire, members of the public along with staff, volunteers and
work experience must make their way immediately to the main gates and wait on the
far side of the gates for further instructions. Everyone is advised to leave belongings
where they are. If there are members of the public or anyone else, senior staff may
enter to help the public and their dogs get out safely.
Dog Bites – Members of the public will only be around their own dogs in the play
area. The Kennel animals will not be handled by members of the public.
Should a dog bite a member of the public while they are out, the public know to
come over to reception or ring the main gate bell to get the staffs attention. The
manager are qualified first aiders.
There are 2 fire extinguishers on site and 2 fire blankets on site
Handling Casualties
In the event of an emergency such as fire, staff are not required to enter the affected
area. Owner/senior member of staff will lead the dogs into a safe area and then
attempt to use a fire extinguisher. Alternatively near each fire extinguisher there are
fire blankets that can be used to cover a burning dog.
The owner/ senior member of staff is a qualified first aider. Should there be any
casualties, the priority is to get all staff, volunteers, and members of the public osff
site safely. Any minor injuries can then be dealt with once everyone is safe. If there
are any life threatening injuries, or major injuries, the member of staff will move the
person if possible to a safe place, and then treat the casualty there and then.
Dealing with the Non-Injured
In the event of an emergency, we ask all staff, volunteers and members of the public
to evacuate the premises and stand behind the main gate and then wait for further
instructions.
The senior staff can then explain what is going to happen to the members of the
public so they are aware of the plan.
Helping the Emergency Services
In the event that the staff need to call the emergency services, the senior staff know
the full address. They will be the best people to direct the emergency services.
However If the senior staff are busy, a member of staff should take the phone call.
Protecting the Property
Where possible, the senior staff will do their best to protect the property from theft,
fire and other circumstances. However, if there is a fire on site near the kennels, or
anywhere else, the senior staff’s main priority is to check that all the humans are off
site safely. Once all the staff, volunteers and members of the public are off site
safely, the senior member of staff can go back onto the property to start getting out
any dogs.
Microchip Procedure
On the 6th April 2016, the new microchipping law came into play, which means ALL
dogs must be microchipped and registered by the age of 8 weeks old.
At Rottweiler Home, we have a microchip scanner, so if you want to check your
microchip number, or want to check your pet is chipped, just call us up and let us
know when you are going to pop up (no appointment needed).
Rottweiler Home must hold a record of microchip numbers for all your pets.
Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment
Rottweiler Home - Hotel for Dogs
Date of risk Assessment 04/07/2022
Qualifications
1. Pet First Aid Certificate
2. Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Diploma
3. Pet Nutrition Diploma
4. Introduction to Being a Dog Trainer Certificate
5. Animal Care and Behaviour
6. Dog Grooming Diploma
7. Pet Psychology Diploma
Experience
Senior member Mindaugas has over 20 years of experience in the following.
1. Grooming
2. Training
3. Breeding
4. Health and Wellbeing
5. Walking and Playing
6. Everything you encounter from puppies to senior dogs.