2020 Update Q&A
Hooray for making it past the half-way point of 2020! We hope you are all doing well and keeping safe and healthy. Like most small businesses, Kokomo Home Buddies was swept up in the drastic changes Corona virus prompted. Thankfully, as the world has begun opening again, our calendar is refilling. It is wonderful seeing buddies and their humans we’ve missed over the last several months!
We are grateful for being able to serve our essential worker clients during the initial spike of the pandemic, making sure their dogs were loved and well cared for as they served on the front lines of hospitals and agriculture. We continue doing our best to practice social distance, wear masks, and keep our home sanitized with dog-safe products. Your and your dog’s health is among our highest priorities.
One upside of lockdown was the chance to dig into some larger projects to improve our outdoor play space . . . literally! We began renovation on our back yard with plans to create more room for running around, better accessibility for senior and impaired dogs, and improve safety and security. Work is ongoing, but we are encouraged by the progress. Hopefully by this time next year it will look more lush with new ground cover, some raised beds of dog-friendly veggies to be used in our homemade treats (more on that in a second!), a ramp, and more lighting among other amenities. In the meantime, our doggie guests are having no shortage of fun running laps, playing fetch, sniffing around, and chasing squirrels!
Improvements continue indoors as well. We have been rearranging furniture to free as much space as possible for those afternoon naps and play times. New luxury dog beds have arrived , and we continue adding to our toy/activity inventory. Our selection of homemade treats is expanding as well. Many of our canine clients suffer from food allergies and weight-related issues, so we keep a stash of our healthy, protein-rich, oatmeal-based biscuits on hand. These have been extremely popular. With owners requesting them, we are preparing to offer a range of flavors for sale. Stay tuned on our Facebook page for coming details!
As you can imagine, our availability is tightening as people begin travelling again. We are doing all we can to accommodate our existing and new clients while upholding the one-client’s-dogs-at-a-time policy. To better help meet that need for exceptional, personalized dog care, we are exploring the possibilities of adding to the Kokomo Home Buddies team. In the meantime, we have been networking with other local sitters and are happy to help you find a great alternative if we are already booked for your desired dates. With that in mind, it pays to think ahead! It’s not too early to plan for 2021!
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the social landscape drastically, we remain steadfast in striving to provide your pups with the happiest, healthiest, most comfortable visits possible. For more details on how we do that, here are answers to questions from prospective clients:
Q: What sort of interaction do you have with the dogs while they’re with you? How much attention will they get?
A: We do our best to keep your dog’s normal routine as consistent as possible, so if they are used to play breaks at certain times, we accommodate that. If they prefer their own space, we respect that. During meet-and-greets we ask about you dog’s favorite activities, toys, etc., so we can provide them while they’re with us. The types and frequency of interaction we provide is tailored specifically to each dog. Because both members of our team work from home, it is rare for a dog to ever be left alone.
Q: How much would it cost to book my dog with you?
A: Cost depends on a few factors: how many dogs, which service you’re booking (day care, boarding, home,stay, etc.), and length of booking. Our Services page outlines our standard rates for your reference.
Q: What is your availability?
A: The answer to this is always in flux as we work around cancellations, standing repeat services, and new booking requests. We are usually booked out at least a month at a time, so the sooner you know what dates your dog will need care for, the better your chance of our fitting you on the calendar. We operate on a first come, first served basis. You can also glance at our current calendar on our Availability page.
Q: Do you take last minute bookings?
A: We do our best to accommodate last minute bookings, but it depends on our availability. We hesitate to accept last minute bookings for dogs we have not met for safety reasons, but consider each request on a case-by-case basis. If we are unable to accept a booking, we will do our best to direct you to another wonderful sitter.
Q: Do I need to bring their crate and/or bed?
A: We have a 42x28 inch crate that accommodates most dogs. We also have dog beds and pillows as well as sofas your pup can snooze on. You are, however, most welcome to bring the crate, bed, etc. your dog is used to if that will make their stay more comfortable.
Q: Do you accept puppies?
A: Yes! We love puppies, though we prefer they at least be in the process of potty training if not already fully trained.
Q: Do you accept dogs that have not been spayed or neutered?
A: Yes, we do!
Q: How often will my dog be let outside for potty breaks?
A: We let dogs out as often as they need. We will discuss your specific dog’s schedule at the meet-and-greet and keep it consistent during their time with us. Otherwise, we give them opportunities to go out every two hours.
Q: Do you host more than one dog at a time?
A: If they belong to the same owner/family, yes. We do not mix dogs who do not know each other.
Q: Is there a size or number limit on dogs you board?
A: Due to the size of our space, we can accommodate dogs up to around 100 lbs. The number of dogs we can accommodate at a time depends on their size. We do not currently board litters of puppies.
Q: Will you send me updates during my dog’s stay? If so, how often?
A: Absolutely! We want you to know your fur-babies are being well cared for. We will send daily photo and/or video updates so you can see how they are getting along and catch up on what they’ve been doing during their time with us.
As always, we are deeply grateful for our wonderful human and canine clients. We hope to see more of you as the world opens back up. If you have any questions for us, please reach out. We are here to help provide you the best personalized dog sitting service around! Thank you.
Sincerely,
Megan & Lois
Kokomo Home Buddies Owners