Parent Resource Page

A temperament test is an all day event for your dog. During this time, we will assess whether your dog would be a good candidate to join our daycare services. A temperament test is required of all dogs that attend HBP for daycare, lodging, and park membership at our Maxie and Shepherd locations.

All evaluating dogs are introduced to our pack slowly. While they are introduced to the pack, senior staff will be assessing your dog’s body language and comfort level in off leash play. Once they are integrated into group, they will spend the day of daycare with us. A full day of daycare is required to appropriately assess their behavior throughout the day.

On the day of your temperament test you will arrive at your appointment time and sign some paperwork. At this time, we will also review your dog’s shot records and input a card on file. To save time, you can have your vet email your dog’s shot records before your evaluation day or upload it in your dog’s portal. Although your dog will stay all day, this will only take a few minutes of your time.

Temperament tests are by appointment only; this ensures every pup receives a thorough evaluation from our qualified staff.

The first step is to complete an online registration form https://houstonbarkpark.gingrapp.com/front_end/new_customer Once you have submitted your dog’s online application, you will receive an email with a link to set up your appointment. You can also call your desired location to have the front desk set it up. We conduct our evaluations Monday – Friday mornings by appointment only.

All dogs accepted into HBP will need to pass the same temperament test and trial day. Just like each dog is an individual and different, every doggy daycare is also different and represents and wholly new experience for your pup.

We offer a 1 minute grace period but do require rescheduling past that allotted time.

For a smoother transition, we recommend morning introductions when the pack is smaller. This allows your dog to meet newcomers individually as they arrive. Our senior staff facilitates these gradual introductions before your pup joins the full daycare group.

To ensure the safety of all our guests, up to date vaccination records are required prior to or at the time of your dog’s evaluation. We cannot proceed with the assessment without these documents. While we are happy to try and assist by calling your vet, please note that most clinics require owner authorization and may not release records to us directly. To avoid delays, we kindly ask that you provide these records in advance.

Maxie and Shepherd locations: All dogs lodging with us go to daycare during the day and are required to complete a temperament test. Energy Corridor location: This location does offer overnight boarding without daycare. This option allows for dogs to receive 5 daily potty breaks and do not require a temperament test.

We have one midday mealtime at 2:00 pm. While we do offer breakfast for our overnight guests, we do not have a morning mealtime for dogs attending daycare. Puppies (one year and younger) receive lunch for free. Adult dogs (over a year) can also be fed for a $5.00 fee. All dogs are required to rest for a minimum of one hour (and longer depending on the breed and size of the dog) and this cuts into their daycare day. We have found most adult dogs are uninterested in eating a midday snack because of the excitement of daycare.

The evaluations take place immediately after drop off. We do not allow parents to go past the lobby so that any anxiety surrounding being away from them stays in the lobby and doesn’t follow them to the yard. You are however more than welcome to watch your pup play throughout the day by watching the cameras.

One of the best things about dogs is their individuality. While not all dogs need to be social butterflies, they do have to tolerate the other dogs (of different ages/ energy levels) while in daycare. They should also feel comfortable with the staff, as our staff performs three health checks daily. We always want to provide positive experiences at bark park and can help build on existing skills. However, If a dog has no socialization, this environment can be overwhelming. Because we always prioritize your dog’s comfort level, we do require your pup to have a degree of both doggy and human socialization.

Doggy daycare isn’t for every dog and that’s ok! Additionally, not all facilities are good matches for a dog’s individual needs. When designing HBP we aimed to create a doggy Disney destination. While we are more of a Disney vacation, some dogs (like people) may prefer something more along the lines of a calm retreat. We always want to do what is best for each dog. If we were in this for just the money, we would not be transparent and would accept every dog despite their comfort threshold. We practice honesty and will call you if we feel your dog is too overwhelmed.