It has come to our attention that three daycare pups have come down with an upper respiratory infection, kennel cough(Not to be confused with Canine Influenza or Flu). One of which notified us on Tuesday and the last two notified us today. Our protocol is always to inform parents as soon as possible when more than one pup has come down with a contagious illness.

Unfortunately, if dogs aren't presenting symptoms and come to daycare, it makes it very easy to spread. Kennel cough is very common and can be picked up anywhere dogs frequent, much like us getting a cold. As much as we sanitize surfaces, it is airborne. Air filters are changed monthly to help cut down on the spread of illnesses such as kennel cough. Though it is contagious, not every dog that comes in contact will come down with it. It's most prevalent in younger and senior dogs or those with a lowered immune system. We have quite a few long standing, very regular dogs who have been exposed numerous times over the years but have never contracted it. Unfortunately, it is the time of year for doggy colds to start popping up. As always, we will keep all clients informed of any future contagious illnesses as soon as we get word.


Just as humans with the Flu shot can still get the Flu, your dog is not protected simply because he or she has had the Bordetella vaccine.


- runny nose
- sneezing
- conjunctivitis (runny/goopy eyes)
- loss of appetite
- lethargy
- fever

If your dog gets "Kennel Cough," don't panic. Typically symptoms will resolve on their own within a couple weeks (depending on whether it is viral or bacterial). There are lots of home remedies to soothe your dog while they are getting over their doggy cold, but please, always consult your vet before giving your dog any over the counter medication. In rare cases (puppies, seniors and immunocompromised dogs) Kennel Cough may develop into Pneumonia and will need veterinary attention. Use your judgement, you know your dog best. Keep in mind, just because your pooch has been exposed to kennel cough, doesn't mean your pooch will become sick. Puppies, seniors and dogs with lowered immune systems are at higher risk of catching a doggy cold.

With all of this information, I ask that clients keep your dog at home if they're feeling unwell. We take all necessary precautions to ensure that dogs do not become ill due to contaminated surfaces, but if a sick dog enters the facility there is little we can do to prevent it from passing to other dogs through the air. As always, keep us informed if your pup comes down with anything communicable.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Jenna, a border collie, joined the Happy Hounds family in January 2018 at the age of 9 months.

Though by breed, she is considered purebred border collie, what really compiles this lovable lady is a hefty scoop of brain power, an equally large scoop of athleticism and a splash of sensitivity with a dash of social awkwardness.

Jenna is a super smart, very eager and an extremely hard worker with it comes to food. Her parents raised her to believe that not only you need to work for what you want, *cough*treats*coughcough*, but also that beggars can't be choosers and sometimes even the low paying jobs of plain flavored milkbones help fill your insatiable appetite just as well as those high reward jobs of home boiled chicken or hotdogs. Regardless of the task at paw, Jenna is your girl for the job! And in the instance that she isn't quite sure what you want from her, she'll just go through all of her known tricks in hopes that one of them will suffice.

In the pack, Jenna is a tad awkward. She has a small group of equally awkward friends that she enjoys a good wrestle match with but her one true calling is BALL. The second the tennis balls come out, this girl is pure competitor. She's often the first to charge and slide into the end zone, retrieving the ball and delivering it in one quick, agile swoop.  Jenna puts her heart and soul into training for the sport she loves. When the rest of the team is resting up and taking a break from the playing field, Jenna can be found dribbling the ball back and forth, waiting for the next round to begin. 

Better get your pawtographs now before she makes it big in the WNBA.