Frequently Asked Questions

Founded in 2002, PupCulture is one of the original pioneers of dog daycare in New York City. We pride ourselves on treating your pets with the same kindness and affection they receive at home. PupCulture is more than just a daycare; it's a second home where your pup makes new friends, both canine and human, and enjoys fun-filled days in a safe, clean environment. Today, PupCulture has five locations across the NYC region, each providing daycare, boarding, grooming, and walking services.

PupCulture offers a membership for a monthly fee of $12.50. The membership provides cost savings by offering cheaper rates for daycare, walks, and boarding (check out our packages). Depending on how frequently you plan to use PupCulture's services, you can choose from different packages that offer discounts, including 7, 12, or 24 class packages of half or full days for daycare, regularly scheduled walks, and discounted rates for overnight stays. The larger the package, the lower the cost per day of daycare, walks, or boarding. To choose the right package, consider how often you expect to bring your dog to daycare or use walking services, and clearly understand the pricing and expiration dates of each package. Transparency is key to building trust and ensuring you get the best value for your money.

Additionally, our monthly membership ensures a consistent and stable pack for daycare, which helps maintain a safe and harmonious environment. Regular attendance reduces the risk of conflicts and disruptions, promoting a secure and enjoyable daycare experience for all dogs.

No membership is required to enjoy PupCulture's services. All dogs are welcome to use our daycare, overnight boarding, dog walking, and grooming services. However, non-members will have a slightly higher rate for daycare, boarding, and walking services.

To become a member daycare, your dog must pass our 60 minute Meet & Greet assessment where we get to know your pup and introduce them to our pack! We start with a one-on-one introduction to another dog and gradually include more dogs to accurately assess your dog's social behavior and ensure a smooth integration into the appropriate group. The Meet & Greet costs ~$0, but this fee is waived with the purchase of a membership.

‍

To become a member for dog walking, just sign up on the website and we will set you up with a monthly subscription!

No, we welcome all dogs regardless of size or breed. We only require that your dog's rabies, distemper (D.H.P.P.), and Bordetella vaccinations are up-to-date to be in our facility and passing our Meet & Greet assessment if you are interested in using pupculture for daycare or boarding.

For late check-out (after 8pm on weekdays & 6pm on weekends), there is a $15 fee for every 15 minutes after closing. After 1 hour past close, we will include your pup in our boarding procedures and have them sleepover for the night! 

If you are running late at pickup, please text or call us to confirm you are on your way.

‍

To prepare for your pup's stay:
1) Bring pre-portioned, labeled meals so we can easily follow their diet.

2) Provide any necessary medications with clear instructions.

3) Include a comfort item with your scent, like a blanket or an unwashed shirt, to help them feel at home.

4) Arrive on time for check-in to ensure your pup gets exercise and stimulation before bedtime. Please avoid bringing toys.

Check-in is preferably an hour before close. However, feel free to come earlier so your pup has plenty of time to play and tire out, ensuring a good night's sleep.

Check-out time for overnight boarding is 11 AM on your check-out date. If you pick up your pup after 11 AM, you will be charged for a half day of daycare as a Late Check-Out Fee.

‍

If a boarding reservation is canceled within 24 hours of the scheduled check-in date, a $50 cancellation fee will be charged. We are happy to waive this fee as a one-time courtesy, but please be mindful as it affects our resource allocation! To avoid the cancellation fee, we are happy to move your reservation to a later date.

‍

Yes, there is a $10 surcharge for day-of-walk requests. We plan our staff schedule over a week in advance, so the $10 upcharge ensures we can staff appropriately and get the walk done on time!

A full grooming service includes a haircut, sanitary trim, gland expression, nail clipping, teeth cleaning (if a toothbrush is provided), ear cleaning, bath, and brush out.

A Bath & Brush out service includes a bath and thorough brushing, but does not include a haircut or the additional grooming services provided in a full grooming session.

‍

For sibling dogs, our membership and rates are designed to be accommodating. You only need to pay for a single membership fee, regardless of how many dogs you bring. 2 siblings receive a 10% discount for all services and packages, excluding grooming add-ons while 3 sibling dogs receive a 15% discount.

A meet and greet assessment is required to utilize daycare and boarding services. The fee for this assessment is waived with teh purchase of monthly membership.

However, a meet and greet is not required for dog walking or grooming services.

‍

Our additional charge helps cover the costs associated with providing top-quality daycare, boarding, and walking services. Here's how the extra fee supports our operations:

• Insurance and Liability Coverage: To protect our business and the animals in our care both in and out of the facility, we maintain comprehensive insurance policies that most daycares are not covered by. This additional fee helps offset the costs of these essential protections.
• Inclusive Services: This fee supports premium services in our daycare and boarding, such as providing house food, and managing feeding meals and medications.
• Facility Maintenance Fees: We are committed to the highest standards of cleanliness and safety in our facilities. The additional fee assists in covering significant ongoing maintenance and sanitation efforts, ensuring a healthy environment for all pets.

if you cancel with less than 24 hours' notice, you will be charged a $25 cancellation fee. This policy helps us manage our schedule and ensures that our walkers are fairly compensated for their time. In the event of serious weather conditions, we of course will waive this fee!

‍

Yes, we ask that you provide a designated area where the walker can easily find your pup's essentials. This includes jackets or sweaters, a towel for rainy days, a leash, and any other necessary items for each walk. Having paw wax for winter and summer days, wipes, treats, and a rain jacket available ensures that your dog is well-prepared and comfortable, no matter the weather conditions. This will ensure the walker doesn't open any cabinets or go into any area's they aren't suppose to while looking for your dogs items.

We try our best to ensure the same walker for each walk. However, we recommend having 2 or 3 walkers who know your pup. This ensures that there is always someone familiar with your dog's needs and routines in case your primary walker is on vacation, sick, or has to take a day off. This approach helps maintain consistency and comfort for your dog.

‍

Please provide detailed notes and pictures of where your pup's items are located. We will log this information in our portal and share it with our walkers, or you can add it to your profile yourself. This ensures that all necessary instructions and details are readily available, allowing the walker to provide the best care for your pet.

Our staff will let you know if your pup isn't eating by the second meal of their stay. On the third meal, we will try our house food (pumpkin, rice, or chicken) to ensure they are getting some nutrients! If your dog still doesn't feel like eating, we highly recommend that you have something transported to us to help entice your dogs appetite.

We are happy to provide house food for the first few nights at no charge. If the stay is longer, we ask that you send food to our store via Amazon, Uber Eats, or Chewy, and we will be sure to portion the food out as per your instructions. This ensures your pup is well-fed and comfortable during their stay with us.

If you can't pick up your dog within the cut-off time, there will be a late check-out fee for daycare. If you arrive after 8 PM from Monday to Friday or after 6 PM on Saturday and Sunday, you will be charged an additional $15 per $15 minutes. After an hour, we will include your pup in our boarding protocols

‍

For a full day of daycare, we send one pupdate during the day.For dog walks, we will send one pupdate at the end of the walk letting you know if/when they take care of their business.For boarding, we will ensure to send additional photos before bed and first thing in the morning!

No, we do not. Instead, we now provide daily text updates that allow us to send clients photos and videos of their pets throughout the day. While we understand the appeal of live stream cameras, we have opted not to use them due to past issues where pet owners have gotten into altercations with one another. This led to unnecessary conflicts, and we believe the potential risks of live streaming outweigh the benefits. Our goal is to ensure a positive experience for both pets and their owners. Plus, pet parents really love our text updates throughout the day! 

We offer a relief walk in the middle of the day around 12pm-2pm for full-day daycare pups. Boarding dogs receive additional relief walks before bed and first thing in the morning as well!

Yes, of course! Additionally, at the end of each grooming appointment, we take pictures so you can reference them for the next time.

‍

No, the rate will remain the same if you opt out of a specific service. However, if you bring your own shampoo, we will waive the $8.50 shampoo fee.

At bedtime, each pup will enjoy their own spot in our boarding area, cleaned and sanitized daily to maintain a healthy environment. If your dog has any special requirements or preferences, such as sleeping on a bed instead of a crate, we are more than happy to accommodate. Please feel free to call or text us with any specific needs!

For sibling dogs, our membership and rates are designed to be accommodating. You only need to pay for a single membership fee, regardless of how many dogs you bring. Additionally, we offer a 10% discount rate for multiple dogs for daycare and boarding services/packages.

‍

After you sign up on for your first appointment on our website, our staff will review your info and create a Gingr profile for you. Your Pet Parent Portal can be accessed via https://pupculture.portal.gingrapp.com Use the code 338768 to find pupculture on Gingr's pet parents mobile app.

Yes, you can let us know which days during the week you would like to schedule your recurring daycare with pick-up and/or drop-off. We will happily schedule them for you, and you can pause or cancel them at any time with no penalty if you cancel with at least 24 hours' notice. Or, book them yourself in the Gingr portal! 

‍

The duration of your dog’s grooming can range anywhere from 1 hour to 4 hours. This duration depends on your dog’s hair type, hair length, and hair condition, as well as your dog’s size, the style of the cut you have requested, and any add-ons you have chosen. Once you schedule your appointment with us, our staff can quote you on your dog’s approximate grooming appointment duration.

‍

The medications we administer are as follows: eye ointments and eye drops, ear wipes, ear drops, and ear cleaning solutions, skin creams and skin ointments, paw soaking solutions, oral pills, oral capsules, and oral liquid medications.

‍

Please bring pill pockets, cheese, plain low-fat cream cheese, or peanut butter to help the staff administer the medication to your dog!

‍

If you are unable to pick them up right away, we can either have them wait in a crate in the grooming room or, if they have previously attended our daycare, we can place them in the daycare to play until you return. We recommend your dog waits no more than an hour or two in the crate in case they need to use the bathroom.

‍

We're all human. We know people forget about the package expiration. So, we allow pup parents to have one courtesy extension, in which we will extend the package by a month.

‍

Yes, we require a 25% down deposit for non-member boarding reservations.

In situations where a pup parent wants to board their pup on the same day as their Meet & Greet, we will ask for a 50% down deposit, assuming they pass the assessment.

‍

Dogs in heat are required to stay home for at least 3 weeks to ensure they are off their period before returning to daycare.

To ensure the safety of all the dogs in our care, if we notice that your dog is in heat, we will call you and request immediate pick-up. This applies to daycare attendance and overnight stays. During this time, your girl will be moody and very attractive to other dogs, which can cause disagreements.

While your girl is in heat, we are more than happy to help with her solo walks.

Dogs in daycare are cohorted based on their size, temperament, and play style. This ensures that each dog has a safe and enjoyable experience, playing with other dogs that match their energy level and social behavior. Our staff carefully observes and assesses each dog to determine the best group for them.

Yes, we certainly provide rest periods upon request. Our counselors also have the discretion to give dogs rest periods as needed. After lots of play, it's important for dogs to have time to decompress. Just like humans, dogs can become overstimulated and tired from intense activity. Providing a quiet space for rest helps them relax, recover, and avoid stress or agitation. This downtime ensures that your dog stays healthy, happy, and ready for more fun later.

‍

The frequency of grooming depends on your dog's breed, coat type, and lifestyle. Generally, dogs with longer coats may need grooming every 4-6 weeks, while short-haired breeds may only need grooming every 8-12 weeks. Consulting with our groomer will help determine the best schedule to achieve and maintain your dog's desired look and health. Establishing a recurring grooming schedule can ensure your dog stays clean, healthy, and looking their best.

‍

Yes! You can request a specific groomer for your dog. To ensure you secure grooming with your preferred groomer, please ask about their availability and consider booking your next session in advance. This way, you can maintain continuity and keep your dog comfortable with a familiar groomer.

‍

While we highly recommend booking your grooming session in advance to ensure availability, we do offer walk-in grooming services based on our schedule and groomers' availability. However, booking ahead is the best way to guarantee your preferred time and groomer.

‍

Yes, we can groom dogs with special needs. Please inform the front desk about your dog's specific requirements so we can arrange for the right groomer who specializes in those needs. This ensures your dog receives the best care and attention during their grooming session.

‍

We isolate the dog and provide one-on-one care. Our staff will try to identify what the issue might be, then contact the owner via phone call. We will make a recommendation on what we think the next steps should be, but please remember that we are not veterinarians.

Yes, but please let us know at least 24 hours in advance. For early check-in, there is a $15 fee for every 15 minutes before opening.

‍