Premier Dog Boarding in Chicago Featuring Outdoor Play

What vaccinations does my dog need in order to board here?

Adult dogs need rabies, distemper, parvo, bordatella, and canine influenza. Puppies need all three rounds of these, but do not need Rabies if under four months old.

What if my dog is not used to being in a crate?

Unless otherwise specified, dogs who board with us are in group play throughout the day, so they are very happy. They are only in their boarding suite for minor breaks and to sleep at night, and by the time that happens, they are very tired. Our boarding suites are also very large and professional, and much bigger than a typical crate. If we notice that your dog is stuggling to be in a boarding suite, we will notify you. The vast majority of dogs come home very tired and happy. We believe that all dogs should learn to happily be in a crate, since this will likely be the case for boarding, daycare, grooming, and going to the vet. We have a training program to help you with crate training if necessary.

What if my dog is not very social with other dogs?

If your dog is trying to go after other dogs in play, that would not be allowed, and would need to be converted to a 'Solo Play' where our staff would interact with him one-on-one four times per day. We would contact you if this was the case. This costs $15 extra per night, and we cannot book a solo play reservation in advance. If your dog cannot be in group play, we recommend finding a pet-sitter and recommend several to you. Please also keep in mind that we separate the dogs by size, so small dogs are not playing with large dogs.

What is the minimum age requirement for puppies to board here?

We do not have a minimum age per se, but we do require that all three rounds of vaccinations be completed for the core vaccinations mentioned above (not including Rabies if under four months of age). Puppies will automatically get lots of extra break time, as being in play will cause them to become tired pretty quickly.

Do the dogs go outside if it is really hot, cold, or rainy?

If our management team decides that it is too hot, cold, or rainy, we would have extremely limited time outside, for the safety and well-being of the dogs. They may go outside in order to go potty, but will normally come back inside shortly thereafter.

My dog has a health issue. Are you able to administer medicine?

We are able to administer medicine at no cost, and have a sophisticated tracking system to ensure that it happens on schedule and according to your instructions. We do not administer injectables, as there is high liability in this instance, and fewer staff qualified to do it.

My dog has a special need. Are you able to still take him?

We routinely care for dogs with special needs, within reason. Just ask our receptionist when booking your reservation to make sure we can handle it.

What would happen if my dog became sick or injured while in your care?

Our top priority is the health and well-being of your dog. It is not common that a dog would become sick or injured here, but the risk does exist any time dogs are playing together. We believe the benefits of group play and our environment outweigh these risks. If something were to happen, we would attempt to contact you immediately, and depending on the situation, would try to go to either your vet if close enough, or one of our partner vets nearby. Our Health Warranty program covers up to a certain amount of veterinary care.

Help Your Dog Get Acclimated Before Your First Boarding Stay

• You must make a reservation for the free trial day, and availability for any certain day is not guaranteed until we check our capacity.
• You must make a boarding reservation in order to be eligible for the free trial day. If the trial day doesn't work out well, you can cancel the boarding reservation.
• If you want to try out daycare but don't have a boarding reservation, you would need to pay the normal daily daycare rate.
• If you know your dog will likely be reactive in play, please notify us about that and please be aware that we may not be able to fulfill your boarding request. Our boarding is primarily geared towards social dogs.
• If your wondering about whether your dog may not do well in group play, we recommend coming for the free trial day as soon as possible before your trip, so you have adequate time to make alternative arrangements in case it doesn't work out.
• If you believe your dog will do well in play and just want to get him used to the environment, we recommend bringing your dog a little closer to your checkin date.
• If the trial day doesn't go well and you want to give your dog another chance, you could try it one more time. This assumes our staff believes your dog will likely be able to handle the environment and is not overly showing signs of aggression or stress.
• We recommend arriving as early as possible on your free trial day, so your dog is one of the first ones in the playgroup as others arrive, instead of walking into a playgroup full of dogs.
• You must show proof of vaccinations before you arrive for your trial day.
• If your dog has already been here for daycare, the trial day is not applicable.

Some people are nervous about boarding their dog when they travel, and instead keep their dog at home. They fear the worst.

Let us put your mind at ease. We believe you should give your dog a vacation when you travel, and the experience we offer is far better than having your dog sit on the couch all day.

If you don't believe us, we encourage you to watch some of these videos.

Boarding is not ideal for some dogs, and if this is the case for your dog, we will let you know. We want to make sure that every dog has the best experience possible.

• My dog doesn't do well in a crate / has never been in a crate / will be in a cage the whole time
  

  Our boarding suites are much larger than dog crates. The dogs here are in play throughout the day, and when they go into their boarding suite, they are very tired and most of them don't mind at all, even if they don't go into a crate at home. They really just want to go to sleep at that point. If a dog seems too stressed to be in a boarding suite, our staff would tell you, but this is very rare. People are often surprised to find that their dog wasn't bothered by it and is happy to come back the next time.

• My dog will get sick
  

  It is rare that dog gets sick here from contagious conditions, as the dogs must be current on all vaccinations and we immediately remove dogs from play who show any signs of illness. Stress-related symptoms are the most common issues that a dog would face, but they are not common. Dogs who continue to board with us often lose their stress after a one or two visits. If a dog does catch a contagious illness, it is covered in our Health Warranty Program  for up to $250 in veterinary bills.

• My dog will be too stressed
  

  Some dogs are stressed at first, but most of them get over it once they get used to the environment. They start playing and having a good time, and owners are constantly surprised that their dog doesn't want to leave when they check out. If a dog continues to seem overly stressed, our staff would call you. We consistently hear from customers that their dog has come out of its shell and is more at ease in general once they have started boarding here.

• My dog will get injured
  

  Injuries here are very rare. We do not allow aggressive dogs in play, and our staff monitor them throughout the day. If an injury occurs, it is typically something like minor scratches due to play. Any injury that requires veterinary care is covered for up to $250 with our Health Warranty Program.

• I'm not sure how my dog will be with other dogs
  

  If your dog cannot interact positively with other dogs, this would require a 'Solo Play' reservation. Please note that we are not accepting new solo play reservations at this time. If your dog has a group play reservation and something happens causing him to not be in play anymore, that may be OK for that stay. We would call you to discuss. In this instance, our staff take them out four times per day, where they play and run, and still come home very happy and healthy. Having said that, we typically find that a dog may be protective around its owner but is fine in group play, especially once it has had time to adjust to the environment.

• My dog wants to be with people
  

  Not every dog likes to be playing with others. That is no problem. They can still benefit greatly from watching from the sidelines, and our staff are very good at interacting with each dog. Your dog will get plenty of people attention. If they have separation anxiety, most of them get over that very quickly, and boarding actually helps them be less anxious after they check out.

• My dog will get dirty
  

  We keep our facility clean, but dogs can get a little dirty because they are playing with other dogs, rolling on the floor, and splashing in the pools. We offer exit baths and believe that the experience your dog will gain is worth the cost of the bath. Plus, your dog will smell cleaner and feel softer than you can imagine, so many people love getting the bath even if their dog wasn't dirty. Having said all of that, many dogs don't get an exit bath, and we don't find that they are going home "dirty."

• My dog's hair will get matted
  

  Some dogs have finer hair than others, that can get matted when wet. We offer daily brushout to keep your dog's hair from becoming too matted, and again, we think you'll find that the experience is worth the loads of fun they will have in the pools.

• My dog just wants to sleep all day
  

  Dogs love the action that we provide, and we think they would choose romping around for their vacation. On the other hand, we understand that some are more comfortable sleeping, and that is no problem. Your dog can watch from the sidelines, will be able to sleep at naptime each day, and you could request extra nap-time during the day. We also offer the solo play option, where your dog is taken out separately from the other dogs four times per day.

• It costs too much money
  

  We believe that you'll find that the experience you give your dog is worth every penny. This will become evident to you when you see how happy and tired your dog is when you get home.

• Any other concerns not mentioned?
  

  If you have any other concerns not mentioned here, please give us a call. There's nothing we haven't heard before, and we will help you decide if boarding is right for you and your dog.

If you need for your dog to stay for an extended period of time, we offer several features to help you and your dog be as happy as possible during the stay:

In-and-out privileges. We welcome you, a friend, or even a walker to come over and take your dog for any period of time that you like. This means your dog could go for daily walks, to the park, or even the dog beach. This can be very helpful if, for example, you are staying in town at a hotel on business travel.

Extra nap time. We don't want your dog to become overly tired and snappy, so we can give extra nap time, over and above the normal amount.

Solo play time. We can give your dog a customized play schedule, to help him get plenty of rest while still enjoying being with the other dogs. For example, you could do two days in play, then one day as a "solo play," where your dog is in his suite throughout the day but goes outside with a handler four times a day for personal play time.

If you do need transportation, there are several options available that you should consider.
Please note that Tucker Pup's does not directly offer transportation of your dog to and from our facility.

• Tails Up Pet Club. We have a partnership with Tails Up Pet Club. If you live nearby Tucker Pup's, Tails Up can walk your dog to our facility for checkin, and walk your dog home for checkout. Contact Tails Up for details.
• Pet transportation company. These companies exist to shuttle your dog wherever you need it to go, in vehicles outfitted for safe pet transportation. Do a Google search to find some options.
• Taxi. If you just stand on the corner with your dog, they will likely not stop for you. However, if you call for a taxi and say you need to bring your dog along for the ride, they will send one where the driver is fine with it, and possibly who drives a larger vehicle that could even fit a crate. You could leave your crate at Tucker Pup's during the stay if necessary. If you have a small dog, many will allow you to hold it in your lap.
• Ridesharing (e.g., Uber, Lyft). These companies normally allow you to bring your dog, but you must contact your driver as soon as the ride is booked in order to see if they are fine with it, and whether their vehicle is large enough.
• Dog walking / pet-sitting company. Some offer "pet taxi" as a service. If you have a dog walker who already has your keys, this might be a preferred option if the person needs to get in your home.
• Friend / neighbor. You might consider having your friend or neighbor help you out. You can fill out the online checkin form on our website so your friend doesn't need to worry about instructions, you could drop off belongings beforehand if necessary, and we can put your card on file so your friend doesn't need to pay.

• We are right around the corner from the Morgan Street stop on the el. This is only two stops away from the Clark and Lake station, which connects to the Orange Line (taking you all the way to Midway Airport) or the Blue Line (taking you all the way to O'Hare Airport). Therefore, you could feasibly bring your dog to us in a taxi or other means, then walk around the corner to the Morgan Station and get to either airport for around $5. This can be ideal for short travel where you're not carrying a lot of luggage.
• Online checkin option. With our Online Checkin option, you can fill out all the instructions beforehand, so if someone else is dropping off for you, they only need to worry about dropping off your dog and nothing else.
• Card on file. We can keep your card on file, so your friend or another party doesn't need to pay on your behalf.
• Drop off belongings beforehand. If you need to drop off items before your stay (e.g., food, medicine, toy), that is no problem.