Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs for dog owners
  • Do you have full ​Liability Insurance?

    Yes, all of the boarders are covered by a single policy which covers public liability up to £5,000,000 and employers liability up to £10,000,000. Your dogs will also have boarders tags on them with their name and phone number so if your dog ever did become separated then the boarder can be notified. (Not happened as yet touch wood!)

  • How do you recruit your Home Dog Boarders?

    Steve being an ex Police Officer decided that he couldn't run a business that wasn't honest, trustworthy and reliable. The people he recruited all have the same qualities, first and foremost they are dog lovers, secondly they have nice, clean, safe and secure homes and gardens and their situation now means that they either want to look after different dogs, have a friend for their dog or it isn't practical to have their own dogs so they look after other peoples and treat them as if they were their own.

  • How do I know my dog will be cared for?

     If you look at the how does your service work FAQ below you will see that the main element is the visit. You will always go and see where your dog is staying and meet the boarders. You can discuss what will happen, where your dog will sleep, exercising requirements, feeding and general health and behavioural issues. Your boarder will look after your dog to your standards whilst you are away. 

    Your boarder can keep you updated whilst you are away and you will know when you return if there are any issues because dogs do not lie and their attitude and behaviour will tell you how they have been treated. 

    Steve also visits the boarders and dip samples on a random basis and as the owner of the business he is impartial and only wants the best for customers, dogs and boarders. If anything is brought to his attention and calls into question the integrity of the service offered he won't hesitate to take action and remove the boarder.

  • What if anything happens while I am away?

    You will be asked to complete a one off consent form which gives us your wishes whilst you are away. Anything that happens will be reported to Steve and he will ensure that you are represented and your emergency contact informed. Your dogs health and well being are first and foremost and everything that can be done will be done. It is in Lookafteryourdog's best interests to ensure that the very best service is offered at all times to ensure our integrity and reputation is maintained.

  • What do you class as small dogs for your site?
    Breed Dog (KGs) Bitch (KGs)
    Affenpinscher 4 3
    Beagle 9 9
    Bedlington Terrier 9 9
    Bichon Frise 5.2 4.7
    Border Terrier 8 8
    Carin Terrier 6.5 6.5
    Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 7 7
    Chihuahua 3 3
    Chinese Crested Dog 5 5
    Miniature Dachshund 4.5 4.5
    Dandie Dinmont Terrier 8 8
    Fox Terrier 8 7.5
    German Spitz 3.5 3.5
    Italian Greyhound 3 3
    King Charles Spaniel 5 5
    Lakeland Terrier 7.5 7
    Lancashire Heeler 6.5 6.5
    Lhaso Apso 7.7 6.8
    Maltese Terrier 3.4 2.5
    Norfolk Terrier 6.5 6.5
    Papillon 2 2.5
    Pekingese 5 5.5
    Pomeranian 2 2.5
    Miniature Poodle 6 6
    Toy Poodle 4.5 4.5
    Miniature Pinscher 3.5 3.5
    Pug 7 7
    Miniature Schnauzer 9 7.5
    Scottish Terrier 9.5 9.5
    Shetland Sheepdog 9 9
    Shih Tzu 6 5
    Tibetan Spaniel 5.5 5.5
    Welsh Terrier 9.5 9
    West Highland White Terrier 8.5 7.5
    Yorkshire Terrier 3 3
  • What do you class as Medium sized dogs?
    Breed Dog (KGs) Bitch (KGs)
    Australian Cattle Dog 16 16
    Brittany 15 13
    Cocker Spaniel 13.5 13.5
    Standard Dachshund 10 10
    French Bulldog 12.5 11
    Glen of Imaal Terrier 16 16
    Irish Terrier 12 11.5
    Kerry Blue Terrier 16 16
    Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen 19 18
    Puli 13.6 11.4
    Standard Schnauzer 18 16
    Skye Terrier 11.5 10
    Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier 18 16
    Staffordshire Bull Terrier 15 13
    Tibetan Terrier 12 12
    Welsh Corgi 11 10
    Welsh Springer Spaniel 17 17
    Whippet 11.5 10
  • What do you class as large dogs for your site?
    Breed Dog (KGs) Bitch (KGs)
    Afghan Hound 27 22.5
    Airedale Terrier 21.5 21.5
    Basset Hound 22.5 19.5
    Bearded Collie 22.5 20.5
    Border Collie 23.5 19
    Bouvier Des Flandres 37.5 30.5
    Boxer 31 26
    Briard 38.5 34
    Bulldog 25 22.5
    Bull Terrier 20.5 20.5
    Chow Chow 27 25
    Clumber Spaniel 36 29.5
    Rough Collie 25 21.5
    Smooth Collie 25 21.5
    Curly-Coated Retriever 34 34
    Dalmatian 27 25
    Doberman 37.5 33
    English Setter 28.5 27
    English Springer Spaniel 21.5 19
    Field Spaniel 21.5 21
    Flat-Coated Retriever 30 29.5
    Foxhound 30.5 30.5
    German Shepherd Dog 36.5 29.5
    German Short-Haired Pointer 28.5 24
    Golden Retriever 34 29.5
    Gordon Setter 29.5 25.5
    Greyhound 36.5 29.5
    Hungarian Vizsla 25 25
    Irish Setter 30.5 26
    Irish Water Spaniel 27 24
    Italian Spinone 36.5 31.5
    Labrador Retriever 30.5 28.5
    Old English Sheepdog 36.5 29.5
    Pointer 29.5 25
    Standard Poodle 34 29.5
    Portuguese Water Dog 22 19
    Rhodesian Ridgeback 36.5 32
    Saluki 24 19.5
    Samoyed 23 18
    Shar Pei 23 23
    Siberian Husky 23.5 19.5
    Weimaraner 27 22.5
  • What do you class as XL dogs for your site?

    We don't have the XL catagory at the moment, but will be introducing it in the very near future.

    Breed Dog (KGs) Bitch (KGs)
    Alaskan Malamute 48 44
    Bloodhound 41 36
    Bullmastiff 54.5 45
    Deerhound 45.5 36.5
    Great Dane 54 46
    Irish Wolfhound 54.5 14
    Japanese Akita 50 50
    Komondor 55 43
    Mastiff 68 57
    Neapolitan Mastiff 60 58
    Newfoundland 66.5 52
    Otterhound 52 45.5
    Pyrenean Mountain Dog 50 40
    Rottweiler 50 38.5
    St. Bernard 75 68
    Giant Schnauzer 45.5 41
  • How Do I Find A Boarder?

    New and existing customers looking for a boarder should use the search bar to browse available boarders in any location selected by them. Once you find a boarder you may like to book, you will need to register with the website, new customers who haven't registered on the website before will need to register using the button under the calendar. Customers who have registered with the new website can use the login options either under the calendar or at the top right of the website pages.

    Once registered or logged in you can make a booking enquiry with the boarder who may or may not be able to accept your booking. Either way you will be notified that either they aren't available or they will arrange a visit with you.

  • How To Book A Boarder

  • I Can't Log On!

    There can be several reasons why you can't log in:

    1. You have completed the first part of registration and have been asked to verify your email address. If you find the email and click it, it will take you back to the site to log in. If you can't see the email after a minute or so, please check your spam folder and if it is there you can click on it and also add us to your safe senders list so it doesn't go to spam again.
       
    2. Your browser settings are either too high or you have disabled pop ups etc. Check your settings and see if you have either high security and you might make it medium or you need to enable pop ups.
       
    3. When you log in you need to click the dashboard button on the top right of your screen so you can access your stored information.
  • How To Register As An Owner

    The video below shows two methods for new customers to register as an owner. Firstly you can click the register option on the home page and register before you search for a boarder. Secondly, you can search for a boarder and then register when you get to their availability calendar.

  • How To Add Your Dog To Your Profile

    Follow the video below to see how to add your dogs to your profile as a new customer or if you follow it to the end, how to add dogs as an existing customer.

  • Last Minute Bookings

    If you have an emergency boarding and you visit the boarder at the last minute and they decide to accept your dog. You Must complete the on-line registration of you and your dogs and fill in a booking request for the boarder to accept. This will trigger payment and consent form to be completed and once these are done everything will be OK for you to leave the dog. If needs be, you should log into your account or register on the boarders computer and if this is'nt done, the boarder should not be accepting your dog.

  • How to pay by PayPal without a PayPal account or registering for one

    This video shows you how to use the online payment system via PayPal but without using or registering for a Paypal account. The PayPal login is the simple top part of the page and the rest is for non PayPal use. Any problems feel free to contact us.

     

  • I'm Trying To Add A Dog And It Won't Submit!

    This happens when you don't select the dog(s) you want to board by physically clicking on their image. An error message is created as a pop-up and some browsers seem to block the pop-ups by default which causes some problems for the customer. I find Google Chrome is the best browser to use as this seems to be the most compatible with our website. (See below screenshot of the error message you should see)

  • Payment Issues

    The deposit is required within 7 days of the booking being accepted and the visit completed if required. Failure to pay means the booking will cancel and I can reinstate it if required. The final payment is requested from 21 days to 14 days and if not paid at 14 days will be cancelled automatically and again can be reinstated by me. The consent form will be required at final payment stage.

  • Consent Form

    The deposit is required within 7 days of the booking being accepted and the visit completed if required. Failure to pay means the booking will cancel and I can reinstate it if required. The final payment is requested from 21 days to 14 days and if not paid at 14 days will be cancelled automatically and again can be reinstated by me. The consent form is built into the final payment process and is mandatory and payment cannot be made without it's completion. The consent form contains the Vet details and owners permissions and emergency contact.

  • Filters

    The filters allow you to set the size of dogs the boarders will allow and also whether you want your dog boarded with other dogs. By clicking the size this triggers the filter. Clicking again takes it off. The default for other dogs is YES and this can be clicked to NO. This will filter out any booked dogs, or boarders with dogs.

    The filters should default to no size selected and YES to return the maximum amount of boarders. Please select them as you see fit to get the search results you want.

  • PayPal Issue - No Option to Pay Without Using PayPal

    PayPal want you to use their system to make all your on-line payments. An issue arises for us in that they try to coerce you into using their system as they have clocked your email address using the non-PayPal option on many occasions. The pay as a guest using debit/credit card option disappears when they think your email address has avoided the PayPal option too many times. A workaround is to go onto your Lookafteryourdog dashboard and change your email address and this usually avoids the problem. Don't use a well worn email address or you may have the same issue arise on that email address.

  • Boarding Puppies Under 6 Months Of Age

    The licence conditions under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 say that a Puppy under 6 months old may not be put with an adult dog for safety reasons. If you have a house trained puppy who is suitable to be placed in another home and they are under 6 months, please look for a boarder without a dog and tick the "Can be boarded with other dogs at same time" No box below and also at the booking stage.

FAQs for dog boarders
  • Do you have full ​Liability Insurance?

    Yes, all of the boarders are covered by a single policy which covers public liability up to £5,000,000 and employers liability up to £10,000,000. Your dogs will also have boarders tags on them with their name and phone number so if your dog ever did become separated then the boarder can be notified. (Not happened as yet touch wood!)

  • What is Home Dog Boarding?

    Home Dog Boarding is a relatively new concept in that in the past dogs were looked after by friends, neighbours and family or went into kennels. Standards were poor and dogs were coming home in all states and with fleas and injuries. Some forward thinking individuals decided that they wanted their dogs looked after by dog lovers in the dog lover's home and they were prepared to pay them to provide the service.

  • How To Accept A Booking

  • Boarder - How To Cancel A Booking

    Although this should only be done after careful consideration and after advising the customer why you are cancelling their booking, the boarder can follow the steps below and the booking will be cancelled and the owner notified by email.

  • Last Minute Bookings

    If a customer arrives at the very last minute at yours and you decide to accept the dog for boarding, the customer must register and complete the booking for you to accept so that they can proceed to payment and completion of the consent form. If they don’t do this, you should not be accepting the dog(s) because the job isn’t recorded, payment isn’t taken and no consent form is available. It shouldn’t happy very often but if it does, as long as they have booked and paid up front it isn’t an issue. 

  • Missing Emails - Check Your Spam Folder

    Everything you do on the new website that needs you to complete an action, generates an email to you to remind you to do something. I am aware that some boarders haven’t been getting the emails because they are automated and this can trigger them to be sent to your spam file. If this is the case, please add lookafteryourdog.co.uk to your safe senders list so that they shouldn’t be rejected.

    If you get into the habit of logging in everyday to check your dashboard, you should pick up anything that needs sorting and is a good habit to get into. If you don’t and a customer is trying to book you, you may miss it and after 7 days it will be automatically cancelled and the customer may think you are ignoring them, so please check regularly.

  • Confirming Visit Arranged & Visit Completed

    Owner books which will trigger an arrange visit notification for the boarder, boarder will be notified by e-mail daily for seven days until the “confirm visit arranged” button is pressed and a date the visit is due is entered. The boarder will receive no more notifications until the day visit is due. The boarder will then have 7 days from this date to “confirm visit has taken place” and will receive notifications daily. If either of the 7 day periods expires the booking will be cancelled.

  • Declining A Booking

    The Decline button is used by boarders who having viewed the booking request from the customer, decide that for whatever reason they cannot accept the booking and so they decline it rather than cancelling it. The difference is that declining will trigger a customer friendly email explaining that the boarder can't have the dog's, whereas the cancel option just removes the booking and sends a short email advising the booking is cancelled. This would be used when the customer is aware that this will be happening and is expecting the booking to be cancelled.

  • Payment Date

    The expected payment date is shown on the booking and will be after midnight on the day given. For example expected payment date 04/11/17 would be paid after midnight and would show up in your PayPal account at 1am or 2am on 05/11/17.

FAQs for how to use site
  • How much is it to use the site?

    There are no costs other than the listed fees for using our service.

  • How do I find a suitable boarder?

    Use the search bar to find a local boarder and use the information and reviews to decide if they are suitable for you and your dog. Follow the instructions to book the boarder and they will contact you to arrange the initial visit. After the visit you can decide if you want to book and then follow the instructions to complete the process.

  • How Do I Cancel A Booking?

    At any point up to 14 days before the booking date you can use the cancel booking button on the website under the relevant booking you want to cancel. This will notify your boarder, remove the booking and refund your deposit payment.

    Within 14 days this is non-refundable unless there are exceptional circumstances and you should contact us to make a request for a refund.

  • Is Your payment System Secure?

    We use PayPal as our payment system because it is a worldwide trusted site with top level security built in. We want you to be sure that your personal details and payment info are safe while using our service.

  • I can't Log In!

    There can be several reasons why you can't log in:

    1. You have completed the first part of registration and have been asked to verify your email address. If you find the email and click it, it will take you back to the site to log in. If you can't see the email after a minute or so, lease check your spam folder and if it is there you can click on it and also add us to your safe senders list so it doesn't go to spam again.
       
    2. Your browser settings are either too high or you have disabled pop ups etc. Check your settings and see if you have either high security and you might make it medium or you need to enable pop ups.
       
    3. When you log in you need to click the dashboard button on the top right of your screen so you can access your stored information.
  • How To Register As A Dog Owner

    The video below shows two methods for new customers to register as an owner. Firstly you can click the register option on the home page and register before you search for a boarder. Secondly, you can search for a boarder and then register when you get to their availability calendar.

     

  • How To Add A Dog To Your Profile

    Follow the video below to see how to add your dogs to your profile as a new customer or if you follow it to the end, how to add dogs as an existing customer.

     

  • Video Guides - Full Screen Viewing

    Any videos that are used to show how to do something can be watched on YouTube by clicking on the video and going to the bottom right corner and clicking the YouTube icon. To view the video full screen on your computer, again go to bottom right and click on the square which says View Full Screen. Press escape to exit when done.

  • Clearing Your Cache

    If you are asked to clear your cache at anytime, here are some instructions how to do it and why you need to.  http://www.refreshyourcache.com/en/home/

  • How to pay by PayPal without a PayPal account or registering for one

    This video shows you how to use the online payment system via PayPal but without using or registering for a Paypal account. The PayPal login is the simple top part of the page and the rest is for non PayPal use. Any problems feel free to contact us.

     

  • PayPal Issue - No Option to Pay Without Using PayPal

    PayPal want you to use their system to make all your on-line payments. An issue arises for us in that they try to coerce you into using their system as they have clocked your email address using the non-PayPal option on many occasions. The pay as a guest using debit/credit card option disappears when they think your email address has avoided the PayPal option too many times. A workaround is to go onto your Lookafteryourdog dashboard and change your email address and this usually avoids the problem. Don't use a well worn email address or you may have the same issue arise on that email address.