Frequently Asked Questions

Tiny Town is our original location, established in 2011. In 2024 we opened Big City next door to give our growing business more space and allow us to create experiences more thoughtfully tailored to each dog’s personality.

Today, Tiny Town is designed primarily for our smaller dogs and senior guests, while Big City is home to our medium and larger dogs. While weight is one factor in placement, age, temperament, and play style are also considered to ensure your dog is placed in the environment that suits them best.

We pre-screen all of our guests with a Trial Day to make sure everyone that stays at Katie’s Kennel is a safe and fun friend. We understand group play isn’t for every dog and we pride ourselves on being upfront and honest with our clients. If we don’t think your pup will have a successful stay with us, we will tell you. Making sure every dog will be comfortable and a positive pack member is a top priority to us. 

Our front desk staff is more often than not, with the dogs.

When you text that you’re on the way, it gives us a heads up so we can be ready for you, provide great customer service, and keep everything running smoothly for the dogs.

Please text Tiny Town @402-680-1030 when you’re on the way for drop-off or pick-up.

Please text Big City @531-444-7875 when you’re on the way for drop-off or pick-up.

We offer a private Daycare Club for our clients. Dogs must complete their trial day and have at least one successful overnight stay with us so we can determine if our private daycare club is right for them and for the group. Please let us know if you have more questions!

We do not offer any grooming services outside of our Exit Baths.

Our baths consist of a shampoo, rinse, and a towel dry. We use a hypoallergenic and gentle shampoo for all coats.

Most dogs spend their vacation playing —running, wrestling, slobbering and having fun in all kinds of weather.

If you’d like your dog to go home clean, just request an exit bath for their final day.

*If your dog has an accident during their stay, we will bathe them and a charge will be added to your bill.

Yes! We love puppies.

To stay with us, puppies must:

• Be at least 4 months old

• Be up to date on Rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella (as age allows)

• Be onheartworm prevention

• Have arecent stool check from their vet

Dogs 8 months and older must be spayed or neutered.

Puppies often do great here because they get plenty of play, lots of rest, and regular potty breaks—helping keep them on a good routine.

Note: Some puppies may need to wait until they’re a little older or have some training if they:

• Are very stressed or destructive in a kennel

• Have frequent accidents

• Struggle with basic dog social skills

We require:

• Rabies

• Distemper (DHPP)

• Bordetella (kennel cough) – 6 months or 1 year is accepted

We also strongly encourage dogs to be on heartworm prevention and a flea & tick preventative to help prevent the spread of parasites.

How to send your records:

Text Tiny Town 402-680-1030

Text Big City 531-444-7875

Email Tiny Town tinytown@katieskennel.com

Email Big City bigcity@katieskennel.com

Upload it directly to your profile HERE.

Please bring your dog’s normal food and do not change their diet before boarding.

New foods, treats, bones, or human food right before their stay can upset their stomach—especially in a new environment—and may cause diarrhea or vomiting.

Keeping their diet consistent helps your dog stay comfortable and stress-free during their stay.

Note: If a dog excessively soils their kennel, a cleaning fee and/or bath charge may be applied.

A peak-time charge of $7 per dog, per night (similar to that of hotel, airline, etc) will apply during the below dates.

• Spring Break (March-mid April)

• Summer (Memorial Day-Labor Day)

• Thanksgiving (Wed-Sat)

• Christmas/New Years(12/20-1/5)

Our staff work endless hours at max capacity, to ensure the dogs staying with us are receiving the highest level of care. This charge helps us pay them Time-and-a-Half or Double-time during these busy periods.

MINIMUM NIGHT STAY

• 3 nights: Memorial Day, Labor Day

• 4 nights: 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas–New Year’s

PLEASE NOTE: Reservations shorter than the minimum stay will be automatically waitlisted until closer to the holiday.

DEPOSITS

$50 non-refundable deposit per dog required at booking and applied to your final bill at check-out.

Deposits are required for: Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve–New Year’s.

HOLIDAY HOURS

Closed for Drop-off and Pick-ups: 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day

Open until 12 PM only: New Year’s Eve

EARLY HOLIDAY CHECK-OUT

Memorial Day, Labor Day & Christmas Eve

Pick-up between 9:00–10:00 AM

$50 convenience fee applies

LEASH is a locally owned business that helps make sure your four-legged family members get to where they need to be, when they need to be there.

Need to leave in the early morning for a flight, but don’t want to leave them an entire day early? Have Leash pick them up from home and drop them off to us.

Want them to be home when you get home, but you don’t land until 7pm? Have Leash pick them up and bring them home, safe and sound, waiting for you when you get there.

HOW LEASH WORKS:

• All Leash drivers are thoroughly vetted, pass a background check, are insured and are registered USDA handlers

• You book a ride for pick-up or drop-off and your driver (per your instructions) will pick up your pet from your house, or us, and deliver

• One ride begins at a minimum of $20 for the first 1-7 miles and $2 for each additional mile. Each additional dog is $5. Leash will invoice pet owners directly for their ride. Katie’s Kennel will never request payment.

• All dogs are safely harnessed and secured via seatbelt for every ride.

• Your first ride is always 25% off!

• *A “ride” is defined as a one way trip from a destination to another.

BOOK YOUR NEXT RIDE:

• Text or call to schedule a ride with one of our staff or click the link! https://rideleash.com

• MAKE SURE = to include clear instructions in the notes section about the following:

  • How your driver will access your pet: garage code, hidden key, someone will be home, etc.

  • Where your pet will be: in the laundry room, in a kennel in your kitchen, free roaming, etc.

  • What belongings need to accompany your pet and where they will be

  • Additionally any other instructions for your pet’s care once they are home- “make sure to put their bag up high on something they can’t have access to”, “must be returned to kennel”, etc.

7:00am-8:30AM – First let out and morning stretches

8:30am- 10:00AM - BREAKFAST 
*We wait one hour after meals to prevent sickness or bloat before play

10:00-12:00PM - PLAY!

12:00pm-2:30PM - Nap 

3:00pm- 4:30PM - PLAY!

4:30pm-6:00PM - DINNER 
*We wait one hour after meals to prevent sickness or bloat before play

6:00pm- 7:30PM – PLAY!

7:30pm-8:00pm – Wind down and get ready for bed

*schedule is subject to change based on weather

Dogs adjust best when they arrive earlier in the day. It gives them time to settle in, get comfortable, and ease into the group before bedtime.

Late arrivals can disrupt the group and make it harder for both your dog and the other dogs to transition.

Morning drop-offs help set everyone up for a calm, successful stay.

Note: If mornings don’t work, we offer a small afternoon drop-off window Mon–Fri from 2:30–3:00 PM.

Dogs sleep on average 13 hours a day at home. In our environment, they will play more and sleep less during the day than they would at home. It is important for them to get plenty of rest. Just like us, dogs get irritable when tired and their immune systems aren’t as strong. Rest and recuperation from their all day play is key to a safe, healthy, and stress-free vacation

Naptime: 12:00pm – 2:30pm daily
Bedtime:  8:00pm – 7:00am

Most dogs board with us without any issues, but like any environment with multiple dogs, there are some risks. Boarding is similar to sending a child to daycare—when groups interact, accidents and illnesses can occasionally happen.

Possible risks may include nips, scratches, bites, illness, injury, allergies, or stress-related issues such as diarrhea or dehydration.

We work hard to reduce these risks by:

• Pre-screening every dog with a trial day

• Grouping dogs appropriately by size, temperament, and play style

• Supervising dogs at all times when they are out of their kennels

• Maintaining strict cleaning and sanitation protocols

Even with these precautions, risks can never be completely eliminated in a social boarding environment.

Because we spend so much time with the dogs, we usually notice quickly if something seems off. If your dog becomes sick or injured, we will get them veterinary care as needed.

We will contact you immediately (or your emergency contact) to update you and discuss next steps.

For care, we typically use Chalco Hills Animal Hospital or VCA 80 Dodge Animal Hospital, as they are familiar with our facility and provide the level of care we expect for our guests.

If we cannot reach you or your emergency contact, we will act in your dog’s best interest and get them the care they need.

Owners are financially responsible for any veterinary care needed during or after their dog’s stay. Please see our Boarding Agreement for full details.

Kennel cough is a common respiratory infection in dogs—similar to a cold. It causes irritation of the throat and windpipe and usually shows up as a dry, hacking or honking cough, often after resting or getting up.

It spreads easily through the air or by contact with other dogs. Dogs can pick it up almost anywhere dogs gather—the vet, groomer, pet store, dog park, daycare, boarding, or even shared water bowls.

We require the Bordetella vaccine, which helps reduce the risk and severity, but like the flu shot, it does not protect against every strain.

Kennel cough typically has a 5–7 day incubation period, meaning dogs may not show symptoms right away but can still be contagious.

If your dog develops a cough, please keep them home and let us know. Most vaccinated dogs experience a mild case that clears up in 3–5 days, but if symptoms worsen (fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, or excessive coughing), you should contact your veterinarian.

If you believe your dog may have caught kennel cough during their stay, please let us know so we can monitor closely and help prevent further spread.